Wow...

The thing that I don't understand is that Rodriguez has consistently said that he will "honor and respect the tradition that has preceeded him". Then why not honor this tradition? Yes, it may be only a thirty-year old tradition, but every tradition starts somewhere. I think Phil is absolutely right on this issue and this is just another example of Michigan fans on this board failing to be objective;

PERHAPS it's because Rodriguez was simply unaware of this tradition?  You know, just maybe?  If you've been paying attention at ALL, you would notice that many of us here are of the opinion that this is a misunderstanding that will be cleared up without issue.  Who says he won't honor this "tradition"?  Many of us also feel that people put wayyyyyyyy too much weight on this.  THAT was the reason the Mario thread from last year was so long, because there was a camp of people who think the #1 is the holy grail and there are others who think that it's a number on a jersey... arguments and opinions ensued... much along the same lines of this thread here.  Before Braylon, I dare ANYONE to show me a discussion along the lines of "Who's going to get the #1 this year?  Who deserves the honor??".  You won't find one.

What happened to the tradition from the time AC moved on to Braylon's junior year AVBucks?  Where was this steeped and awesome #1 tradition in those intervening 20 some-odd years?  Before Braylon came along, the #1 meant one thing and one thing only: AC.  The fact that they are trying to start a tradition is GREAT, but acting like Rodriguez is slapping anyone in the face here is stretching it a bit, particularly when nobody knows if the number has actually been assigned or if he'll change that assignment in the near future.  Nobody is discontinuing anything at this point in time.  If Braylon expresses his concern to Rodriguez and Rich turns around and still gives the jersey to an incoming freshman DB, then I'll have a few choice words about it.  That hasn't happened.

And believe it or not, it's a message board, we're allowed to disagree, even with Phil.

Fans who would once be critical about many issues have become more accepting: Manningham's pot-smoking, the abundance of transfers, the buyout clause with WVU, Manningham's Wonderlic, the racial accusations against RichRod, the academic "scandal", and some others I'm forgetting.

- Who was accepting of Manningham's problems?  Who here said, no biggie, doesn't bother me?  Furthermore, what the hell are we supposed to do now, he's gone.  The wonderlic score he put up is shameful, it reflects quite poorly on Manningham, and by extension on Michigan... what else would you like to see, people burning 86 jerseys?  Reread that thread, many themes along the lines of "embarassing" come up.  Someone makes mention of the fact that it's under time constraint but its still awful, and one person tries to reconcile the fact that maybe Mario just is a little slower in his thought processes... Whoa, someone put away the kool-aid boys!!!!

- The "abundance" of transfers?  Uh... two?  Am I missing a mass exodus that wasn't reported?  I think we all expected transfers with the coaching change, I don't think two is reason to raise an alarm... particularly when you consider the two.  That Manningham and Arrington lept to the NFL is not surprising, it's a bit disappointing, but is it all that surprising?  I'd love to have them back, but I don't think it was Rodriguez that drove them off... more likely the prospect of no returning starting quarterback?  The other two departed players on the O-line, quit playing football for medical reasons... where should I assign that blame? 

- Racial accusations against Rich Rodriguez?  Enlighten me.  Perhaps what you meant to say was: Racial accusations against West Virginia.  The accusations center on the rumor that a former admin told Calvin McGee he wouldn't be a candidate for the postion as a result of his race (in some roundabout gesture sort of way)... this is Rodriguez's fault how exactly?

- "Academic Scandal"?? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, this from a buckeye? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha oh man, do stop, no really.  Let's go ahead and let a paper look into Ohio State for 7 months and literally come away with not one violation, not a single one.  Michigan players didn't receive any treatment that wasn't available to students at large, and several departmental investigations of the faculty came away with ZERO improprieties.  The best part of all is that if you read through the discussions that followed those pieces, many hoped that they would enact a few changes at the University and how certain departmental things were handled... I'd keel over where I stood if a conversation of that nature EVER happened on bucknuts. 

- The buyout clause has caused much consternation here, I don't think you'll find many who are a fan of it, and I don't think you'll find anyone blindly defending Rodriguez in the situation.  It is however, not unreasonable to think that there's quite possibly a few things we don't know, and I don't think it's blind homerism to wait and see how it turns out... of course as a sideline observer, you may feel that he's just delaying reaching into his pocket pulling out one of the many multiples of FOUR MILLION DOLLARS that he has, and handing it over the West Virginia.  Me, I'll go ahead and let it run its course before I pile on.

Imagine if one of Ohio State's best players getting caught with weed 2 times during the season and getting suspended for a powder-puff game.

One needn't imagine all that hard to get an idea on this one... in fact I'm sure we have SEVERAL historical examples to go by... BlueSteel???  Who was the receiver who had to sit out a WHOLE SERIES in '03 against us after running into law-type trouble?  My mind is blanking right now.

Now for the coup de gras...

He has been very critical of Rodriguez and some players and I believe rightfully so. The double-standard that many of you guys express is normally called out by Phil, and he takes attack after attack following his blunt and objective statements. I've said this a couple times before on here, but I firmly believe that you aren't a true fan of the game of college football if you can't be objective.

So if we haven't been critical of Rodriguez, we're not true fans of the game of college football?  Why should I be critical of Rich Rodriguez?  What has he done to step on my toes as a fan of the University of Michigan?  What has he done that should give me pause?  Not pay a buyout that's being contested?  Pardon me for letting it run its course before I jump on the guys case.  You're asking for objectivity and then claiming that the objective thing to do is to be mad at Rich Rodriguez?  Right.  Some players have left the team?  I kind of assumed that would happen, perhaps I'm in the minority? 

How it's anymore "objective" to attack the guy over these things is something you'll have to explain to me.  Phil is more than entitled to be critical if he feels things are askew... I haven't gotten that impression at all, and I'm more than entitled to disagree with Phil if I don't see it the same way. http://theonlygamethatmatters.blogspot.com/

What the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve; and those who stay will be Champions.
GO BLUE!

ORIGINAL: scmgoblue

Wow...

The thing that I don't understand is that Rodriguez has consistently said that he will "honor and respect the tradition that has preceeded him". Then why not honor this tradition? Yes, it may be only a thirty-year old tradition, but every tradition starts somewhere. I think Phil is absolutely right on this issue and this is just another example of Michigan fans on this board failing to be objective;

PERHAPS it's because Rodriguez was simply unaware of this tradition?  You know, just maybe?  If you've been paying attention at ALL, you would notice that many of us here are of the opinion that this is a misunderstanding that will be cleared up without issue.  Who says he won't honor this "tradition"?  Many of us also feel that people put wayyyyyyyy too much weight on this.  THAT was the reason the Mario thread from last year was so long, because there was a camp of people who think the #1 is the holy grail and there are others who think that it's a number on a jersey... arguments and opinions ensued... much along the same lines of this thread here.  Before Braylon, I dare ANYONE to show me a discussion along the lines of "Who's going to get the #1 this year?  Who deserves the honor??".  You won't find one.

What happened to the tradition from the time AC moved on to Braylon's junior year AVBucks?  Where was this steeped and awesome #1 tradition in those intervening 20 some-odd years?  Before Braylon came along, the #1 meant one thing and one thing only: AC.  The fact that they are trying to start a tradition is GREAT, but acting like Rodriguez is slapping anyone in the face here is stretching it a bit, particularly when nobody knows if the number has actually been assigned or if he'll change that assignment in the near future.  Nobody is discontinuing anything at this point in time.  If Braylon expresses his concern to Rodriguez and Rich turns around and still gives the jersey to an incoming freshman DB, then I'll have a few choice words about it.  That hasn't happened.

And believe it or not, it's a message board, we're allowed to disagree, even with Phil.

Fans who would once be critical about many issues have become more accepting: Manningham's pot-smoking, the abundance of transfers, the buyout clause with WVU, Manningham's Wonderlic, the racial accusations against RichRod, the academic "scandal", and some others I'm forgetting.

- Who was accepting of Manningham's problems?  Who here said, no biggie, doesn't bother me?  Furthermore, what the hell are we supposed to do now, he's gone.  The wonderlic score he put up is shameful, it reflects quite poorly on Manningham, and by extension on Michigan... what else would you like to see, people burning 86 jerseys?  Reread that thread, many themes along the lines of "embarassing" come up.  Someone makes mention of the fact that it's under time constraint but its still awful, and one person tries to reconcile the fact that maybe Mario just is a little slower in his thought processes... Whoa, someone put away the kool-aid boys!!!!

- The "abundance" of transfers?  Uh... two?  Am I missing a mass exodus that wasn't reported?  I think we all expected transfers with the coaching change, I don't think two is reason to raise an alarm... particularly when you consider the two.  That Manningham and Arrington lept to the NFL is not surprising, it's a bit disappointing, but is it all that surprising?  I'd love to have them back, but I don't think it was Rodriguez that drove them off... more likely the prospect of no returning starting quarterback?  The other two departed players on the O-line, quit playing football for medical reasons... where should I assign that blame? 

- Racial accusations against Rich Rodriguez?  Enlighten me.  Perhaps what you meant to say was: Racial accusations against West Virginia.  The accusations center on the rumor that a former admin told Calvin McGee he wouldn't be a candidate for the postion as a result of his race (in some roundabout gesture sort of way)... this is Rodriguez's fault how exactly?

- "Academic Scandal"?? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, this from a buckeye? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha oh man, do stop, no really.  Let's go ahead and let a paper look into Ohio State for 7 months and literally come away with not one violation, not a single one.  Michigan players didn't receive any treatment that wasn't available to students at large, and several departmental investigations of the faculty came away with ZERO improprieties.  The best part of all is that if you read through the discussions that followed those pieces, many hoped that they would enact a few changes at the University and how certain departmental things were handled... I'd keel over where I stood if a conversation of that nature EVER happened on bucknuts. 

- The buyout clause has caused much consternation here, I don't think you'll find many who are a fan of it, and I don't think you'll find anyone blindly defending Rodriguez in the situation.  It is however, not unreasonable to think that there's quite possibly a few things we don't know, and I don't think it's blind homerism to wait and see how it turns out... of course as a sideline observer, you may feel that he's just delaying reaching into his pocket pulling out one of the many multiples of FOUR MILLION DOLLARS that he has, and handing it over the West Virginia.  Me, I'll go ahead and let it run its course before I pile on.

Imagine if one of Ohio State's best players getting caught with weed 2 times during the season and getting suspended for a powder-puff game.

One needn't imagine all that hard to get an idea on this one... in fact I'm sure we have SEVERAL historical examples to go by... BlueSteel???  Who was the receiver who had to sit out a WHOLE SERIES in '03 against us after running into law-type trouble?  My mind is blanking right now.

Now for the coup de gras...

He has been very critical of Rodriguez and some players and I believe rightfully so. The double-standard that many of you guys express is normally called out by Phil, and he takes attack after attack following his blunt and objective statements. I've said this a couple times before on here, but I firmly believe that you aren't a true fan of the game of college football if you can't be objective.

So if we haven't been critical of Rodriguez, we're not true fans of the game of college football?  Why should I be critical of Rich Rodriguez?  What has he done to step on my toes as a fan of the University of Michigan?  What has he done that should give me pause?  Not pay a buyout that's being contested?  Pardon me for letting it run its course before I jump on the guys case.  You're asking for objectivity and then claiming that the objective thing to do is to be mad at Rich Rodriguez?  Right.  Some players have left the team?  I kind of assumed that would happen, perhaps I'm in the minority? 

How it's anymore "objective" to attack the guy over these things is something you'll have to explain to me.  Phil is more than entitled to be critical if he feels things are askew... I haven't gotten that impression at all, and I'm more than entitled to disagree with Phil if I don't see it the same way.

 
The minute I go to respond, you give us this.  Thank you-this dead-on the money. 
 
AV Bucks- You cannot be serious.  So, unless we're bashing Rodriguez at every turn, we're not objective?  I think you need to go back and re-think that for a second because it makes ZERO sense.  Moreover, coming from a Buckeye, this now becomes the laugher of the century.  Do you really want to trot out the list of issues between Michigan and OSU?  Oh, that's right.  You listed Michigan, USC, MSU, ND, PSU, Illinois.  Hmm..interesting.  There seems to be one missing.  Unreal.
 
As far as Phil is concerned, I don't know the first thing about Phil or what he thinks and feels about things, other than a few short posts on his forum.  I certainly can't pretend to speak for him, but if I had to guess, I don't think he's going to lose a lot of sleep over the fact that a few people on here disagree with him.  What I DO know and feel safe in saying is that he's passionate about everything that is The University Of Michigan.  Does it mean I agree with everything he feels and says?  No.  Does he care?  Probably not.  If Phil feels RR is blowing off a tradition with this #1 business, so be it.  I don't feel that way, but of course, that's just my opinion.  Just like the other 55,000 opinions that make up....yes...a forum. 
"I have marked down losses for Wisconsin, Michigan State, Penn State, and Ohio State. And then there could be others such as Illinois".-BigHouseFootball March 08

AV Bucks i dont know why you are complaing about our academics look out some of the news about yours

http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/sports/stories/2008/05/06/osuapr.html?sid=101

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/local/stories/2008/05/03/osu_admin.html?sid=102

Your administrators cant stay away from drugs either

ORIGINAL: scmgoblue

Wow...

The thing that I don't understand is that Rodriguez has consistently said that he will "honor and respect the tradition that has preceeded him". Then why not honor this tradition? Yes, it may be only a thirty-year old tradition, but every tradition starts somewhere. I think Phil is absolutely right on this issue and this is just another example of Michigan fans on this board failing to be objective;

PERHAPS it's because Rodriguez was simply unaware of this tradition?  You know, just maybe?  If you've been paying attention at ALL, you would notice that many of us here are of the opinion that this is a misunderstanding that will be cleared up without issue.  Who says he won't honor this "tradition"?  Many of us also feel that people put wayyyyyyyy too much weight on this.  THAT was the reason the Mario thread from last year was so long, because there was a camp of people who think the #1 is the holy grail and there are others who think that it's a number on a jersey... arguments and opinions ensued... much along the same lines of this thread here.  Before Braylon, I dare ANYONE to show me a discussion along the lines of "Who's going to get the #1 this year?  Who deserves the honor??".  You won't find one.

What happened to the tradition from the time AC moved on to Braylon's junior year AVBucks?  Where was this steeped and awesome #1 tradition in those intervening 20 some-odd years?  Before Braylon came along, the #1 meant one thing and one thing only: AC.  The fact that they are trying to start a tradition is GREAT, but acting like Rodriguez is slapping anyone in the face here is stretching it a bit, particularly when nobody knows if the number has actually been assigned or if he'll change that assignment in the near future.  Nobody is discontinuing anything at this point in time.  If Braylon expresses his concern to Rodriguez and Rich turns around and still gives the jersey to an incoming freshman DB, then I'll have a few choice words about it.  That hasn't happened.

And believe it or not, it's a message board, we're allowed to disagree, even with Phil

If you are a fan of college football and you have a pulse, you are aware that there has been emphasis on Michigan's #1 jersey for the last three decades. Let alone you have been the head coach there for six months. Don't be naive SCM, come on.

Fans who would once be critical about many issues have become more accepting: Manningham's pot-smoking, the abundance of transfers, the buyout clause with WVU, Manningham's Wonderlic, the racial accusations against RichRod, the academic "scandal", and some others I'm forgetting.

- Who was accepting of Manningham's problems?  Who here said, no biggie, doesn't bother me?  Furthermore, what the hell are we supposed to do now, he's gone.  The wonderlic score he put up is shameful, it reflects quite poorly on Manningham, and by extension on Michigan... what else would you like to see, people burning 86 jerseys?  Reread that thread, many themes along the lines of "embarassing" come up.  Someone makes mention of the fact that it's under time constraint but its still awful, and one person tries to reconcile the fact that maybe Mario just is a little slower in his thought processes... Whoa, someone put away the kool-aid boys!!!!

- The "abundance" of transfers?  Uh... two?  Am I missing a mass exodus that wasn't reported?  I think we all expected transfers with the coaching change, I don't think two is reason to raise an alarm... particularly when you consider the two.  That Manningham and Arrington lept to the NFL is not surprising, it's a bit disappointing, but is it all that surprising?  I'd love to have them back, but I don't think it was Rodriguez that drove them off... more likely the prospect of no returning starting quarterback?  The other two departed players on the O-line, quit playing football for medical reasons... where should I assign that blame? 

- Racial accusations against Rich Rodriguez?  Enlighten me.  Perhaps what you meant to say was: Racial accusations against West Virginia.  The accusations center on the rumor that a former admin told Calvin McGee he wouldn't be a candidate for the postion as a result of his race (in some roundabout gesture sort of way)... this is Rodriguez's fault how exactly?

- "Academic Scandal"?? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha, this from a buckeye? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha oh man, do stop, no really.  Let's go ahead and let a paper look into Ohio State for 7 months and literally come away with not one violation, not a single one.  Michigan players didn't receive any treatment that wasn't available to students at large, and several departmental investigations of the faculty came away with ZERO improprieties.  The best part of all is that if you read through the discussions that followed those pieces, many hoped that they would enact a few changes at the University and how certain departmental things were handled... I'd keel over where I stood if a conversation of that nature EVER happened on bucknuts. 

- The buyout clause has caused much consternation here, I don't think you'll find many who are a fan of it, and I don't think you'll find anyone blindly defending Rodriguez in the situation.  It is however, not unreasonable to think that there's quite possibly a few things we don't know, and I don't think it's blind homerism to wait and see how it turns out... of course as a sideline observer, you may feel that he's just delaying reaching into his pocket pulling out one of the many multiples of FOUR MILLION DOLLARS that he has, and handing it over the West Virginia.  Me, I'll go ahead and let it run its course before I pile on.

You are completely missing the point. I am not comparing UM to other programs, I am comparing the views of Michigan fans (towards their own program and towards other) previous to the RRod era to the views of them after his hire.All of these examples show that the majority of you guys have been operating on a double standard. As a person who has read very close to all of the threads on this board during the offseason but not voiced his opinion very often, I feel that I have a good view of how fast the perceptions of the fans of your own program have changed. Maybe you do not notice it because you are in the middle of it, but the attitude of Michigan fans towards acts like the ones I listed have changed drastically.



As for your blanket statement of all of Michigan's sentiments regarding these issues, go re-read the threads. You seem to remember the good views more than the bad.

Now for the coup de gras...

He has been very critical of Rodriguez and some players and I believe rightfully so. The double-standard that many of you guys express is normally called out by Phil, and he takes attack after attack following his blunt and objective statements. I've said this a couple times before on here, but I firmly believe that you aren't a true fan of the game of college football if you can't be objective.

So if we haven't been critical of Rodriguez, we're not true fans of the game of college football?  Why should I be critical of Rich Rodriguez?  What has he done to step on my toes as a fan of the University of Michigan?  What has he done that should give me pause?  Not pay a buyout that's being contested?  Pardon me for letting it run its course before I jump on the guys case.  You're asking for objectivity and then claiming that the objective thing to do is to be mad at Rich Rodriguez?  Right.  Some players have left the team?  I kind of assumed that would happen, perhaps I'm in the minority? 

How it's anymore "objective" to attack the guy over these things is something you'll have to explain to me.  Phil is more than entitled to be critical if he feels things are askew... I haven't gotten that impression at all, and I'm more than entitled to disagree with Phil if I don't see it the same way.

The only reason I used Phil as an example is because he is the only person on this board that I have seen that is consistently objective. Did I ever say that objectivity went hand-in-hand with criticism? Being objective means that you take an unbiased perspective towards your own program and evaluate its accomplishments and problems accordingly. For the few times that Phil does post on this board, it seems like he is normally on the other side of the argument in many "problem-threads". Of course there are going to be fans who disagree with him; however, what is suprising is the majority of fans who disagree with him.





Your post only strengthens my "defensive mechanism" theory even further. Michigan has never had more negative press than it faces right now and many of you aren't sure how to deal with it. Thus, every criticism is seen as coming straight from the pen of Satan. I know I am a Buckeye fan, but I hope you don't have me on his level.

Phil, you're post comes off in the tone that you think Rodriguez somehow did this on purpose to stick it to the "old guard", I hardly think that's the case... 

 
I don't know.  I've been trying to find out all day.  What concerns me is that in the wake of the last 6 months (passing over "UM guy" Miles, the WVU lawsuit, clearing out the coaching staff, Boren's departure) I would think that RR would be extra sensitive to torquing people off.
 
I'm not saying that shouldn't do something if he feels its important.  But man up and explain.
 
I've heard that RR has gained the rather dubious nickname of DickRod around the AD for his sparkling personality
 
Let's say that RR didn't know about #1.  Reasonable but Jon Falk and Fred Jackson certainly DO know about it.  Why didn't they say anything?
 
Many businesses talk about knowledge capture (IE not losing the essence of an organization when transitioning from previous employees to new ones) UM and other tradition rich programs (OSU, ND, etc.) rely on tradition to pacify the masses during the lean times. 
 
Is this a fight that RR wants/needs with so much to do?
Phil Callihan
Editor-in-Chief
UMGoBlue.COM

This is from the Rivals insider:
 
First, a note on the No. 1 ‘controversy.’ Sources inside Schembechler Hall say former U-M receiver Braylon Edwards is NOT upset with the new coaching staff about the use of his No. 1, in large part because numbers aren’t even officially issued until August and nothing has been set in stone. They have been in touch with Edwards, and he has had nothing but positive things to say about Rich Rodriguez and the new staff.

ORIGINAL: Philc

I've heard that RR has gained the rather dubious nickname of DickRod around the AD for his sparkling personality

Did you hear that from a Spartan, by chance? They're the ones that have taken to calling him that (in between crowing about Marky Mark taking over the state on recruiting and saying that MSU's time has come...)
http://genuinelysarcastic.blogspot.com/
Michigan Recruiting Map 2009

I agree with SCM that a # is just a # and this is no big deal, but I also agree with Phil that RR's job is going to be hard enough without pissing everyone off. 
 
When Tressel arrived at OSU he started a tradition of the team singing the alma mater in front of the band after every home game.  After a couple of losses the local media was saying the new coach needs to worry more about football and less about singing.  JT also got a significant amount of criticisim for saying on a radio interview that he felt the punt was the most important play in football.  Throw in the conservative play calling and there was a lot of groaning around Columbus in the fall of '01.  That all changed on November 24th.  Since then, singing the alma mater after the game has become everyone's favorite tradition and Buckeye fans are now cheering for good punts to establish field position. 
 
If Michigan beats OSU this year nobody will care who is wearing #1, how many coaches RR kept from the LC era, which players transferred in the spring, or how much $ WVU claims RR owes their university.

ORIGINAL: AVBucks2521



If you have are a fan of college football and you have a pulse, you are aware that there has been emphasis on Michigan's #1 jersey for the last three decades. Let alone you have been the head coach there for six months. Don't be naive SCM, come on.

 
An 'emphasis' on the #1 jersey?  AC had it for 4 years and was great.  Ok, we're off to a good start.  Braylon had it 2 years.  David Terrell was a good one.  And the 3 decades in between?  Outside of McMurty and Alexander, who were solid receivers but not exactly memory makers, who do we have that has added to this "tradition"?  We didn't even start throwing the football until the 90's, yet this is THE # to have if you're a WR at Michigan?  The fact that a Buckeye is explaining a Michigan 'tradition' pretty much sums it up.  Guess I'm being naive too, but the fact that nobody wore it in 07, or 06, or 05 tells me that a certain coach at Michigan must have forgot about this tradition, much like RR.  Then again, we do have Tyrone Butterfield keeping it alive.  He of 4 receptions in 4 years.
"I have marked down losses for Wisconsin, Michigan State, Penn State, and Ohio State. And then there could be others such as Illinois".-BigHouseFootball March 08

You beat me to it TK, that was laughable having our traditions clarified to us by a Buckeye.
 
It also wasn't worn for a few years between AC and McMurtry and also between Butterfield and Terrell. I know I for one had never heard of or spoken to any other UM fans about any #1 tradition before BE asked for it and was told to earn it. I certainly can't imagine anyone even coming to that conclusion in the time before Terrell wore it. I have absolutely no issue with it becoming a tradition now that it's taken on some legitmacy post-BE and UM perpetuating it, it's something unique and can work in our favor. I definiely don't think we should jump all over RR about a situation that isn't even set in stone yet.

ORIGINAL: TK23Blue

ORIGINAL: AVBucks2521



If you have are a fan of college football and you have a pulse, you are aware that there has been emphasis on Michigan's #1 jersey for the last three decades. Let alone you have been the head coach there for six months. Don't be naive SCM, come on.

An 'emphasis' on the #1 jersey?  AC had it for 4 years and was great.  Ok, we're off to a good start.  Braylon had it 2 years.  David Terrell was a good one.  And the 3 decades in between?  Outside of McMurty and Alexander, who were solid receivers but not exactly memory makers, who do we have that has added to this "tradition"?  We didn't even start throwing the football until the 90's, yet this is THE # to have if you're a WR at Michigan?  The fact that a Buckeye is explaining a Michigan 'tradition' pretty much sums it up.  Guess I'm being naive too, but the fact that nobody wore it in 07, or 06, or 05 tells me that a certain coach at Michigan must have forgot about this tradition, much like RR.  Then again, we do have Tyrone Butterfield keeping it alive.  He of 4 receptions in 4 years.

 
TK23
you can post this about the #1 jersey, SCM can post stuff about it, why doesnt ANYONE ever read it lol?
 
Last time people!!!!  
There was NEVER a tradition at Michigan who will wear the  #1 jersey.. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edwards is the ONLY ONE who made it a big deal ...  

....... ........

ORIGINAL: Harbaugh04

ORIGINAL: TK23Blue

ORIGINAL: AVBucks2521



If you have are a fan of college football and you have a pulse, you are aware that there has been emphasis on Michigan's #1 jersey for the last three decades. Let alone you have been the head coach there for six months. Don't be naive SCM, come on.

An 'emphasis' on the #1 jersey?  AC had it for 4 years and was great.  Ok, we're off to a good start.  Braylon had it 2 years.  David Terrell was a good one.  And the 3 decades in between?  Outside of McMurty and Alexander, who were solid receivers but not exactly memory makers, who do we have that has added to this "tradition"?  We didn't even start throwing the football until the 90's, yet this is THE # to have if you're a WR at Michigan?  The fact that a Buckeye is explaining a Michigan 'tradition' pretty much sums it up.  Guess I'm being naive too, but the fact that nobody wore it in 07, or 06, or 05 tells me that a certain coach at Michigan must have forgot about this tradition, much like RR.  Then again, we do have Tyrone Butterfield keeping it alive.  He of 4 receptions in 4 years.

TK23
you can post this about the #1 jersey, SCM can post stuff about it, why doesnt ANYONE ever read it lol?

Last time people!!!!  
There was NEVER a tradition at Michigan who will wear the  #1 jersey.. NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Edwards is the ONLY ONE who made it a big deal ...  

Ditto.  No tradition of #1 before Braylon.  Braylon was the first to bring attention to it or make a big deal of it.

That said, I kinda like it.  Who said traditions have to be 80 years old?  They have to start somewhere.  I have no qualms about the #1 being somewhat reserved for WR.
University of Michigan - Class of 2009
It's Great to be a Michigan Wolverine

 

ORIGINAL: AVBucks2521

For whatever reason, an abundance of Michigan fans have built up an enormous defense mechanism for every criticism that the program has recieved under Rodriguez. I think it all stemmed with his controversies leaving West Virginia. Fans who would once be critical about many issues have become more accepting: Manningham's pot-smoking, the abundance of transfers, the buyout clause with WVU, Manningham's Wonderlic, the racial accusations against RichRod, the academic "scandal", and some others I'm forgetting.

Imagine if 4 or 5 players left Michigan State after D'Antonio got there, most of them being future starters.
Imagine if one of Ohio State's best players getting caught with weed 2 times during the season and getting suspended for a powder-puff game.
Imagine if the Chicago Tribune ran a 4 day special on the academic benefits that Illinois players recieve compared to other students.
Imagine if Charlie Weis refused to pay his buyout clause from the Patriots and took the situation to court.
Imagine if Pete Carroll had the same racial allegations that RichRod has against him.
Imagine if Penn State's Justin King got a 6 on his Wonderlic.

If these kinds of issues did not concern the Michigan program, I would make a safe bet that many of the fans that are coming to the defense of RichRod would be all over the other program.

Yes, I'm a Buckeye, but I have noticed that the main man on this board has had similar views as me concerning most of these topics. Throughout this transitional period of Michigan's program, Phil has been one of the only members on this board to have an objective view on a very consistent basis. He has been very critical of Rodriguez and some players and I believe rightfully so. The double-standard that many of you guys express is normally called out by Phil, and he takes attack after attack following his blunt and objective statements. I've said this a couple times before on here, but I firmly believe that you aren't a true fan of the game of college football if you can't be objective.

The #1 jersey is a big deal at Michigan. I know it, Michigan fans know it, and so do diehard college football fans around the nation. If it wasn't a big deal, then why were there threads on this board last year that were 80-100 posts long (maybe more, and an enormous amount for a board this small) concerning whether or not Manningham was going to get/deserved the #1 jersey? Many other people in this thread have already stated what the #1 jersey means to Michigan, so I won't bother repeating their sentiments.

The thing that I don't understand is that Rodriguez has consistently said that he will "honor and respect the tradition that has preceeded him". Then why not honor this tradition? Yes, it may be only a thirty-year old tradition, but every tradition starts somewhere. I think Phil is absolutely right on this issue and this is just another example of Michigan fans on this board failing to be objective; thus, resulting in Phil taking post after post from people who disagree with him. There are countless other ways to preach "the team, the team, the team" other than discontinuing a tradition that has been associated with Michigan since Anthony Carter ran into the endzone against Indiana in 1979 and Ufer blew that damn horn 50 times.

 
Please spare us with the objectivity lecture Buckeye fan!  Maybe you should take a look at your own fanbase when you want to start talking about lacking in objectivity?!
 
 

ORIGINAL: AVBucks2521

If you have are a fan of college football and you have a pulse, you are aware that there has been emphasis on Michigan's #1 jersey for the last three decades. Let alone you have been the head coach there for six months. Don't be naive SCM, come on.

 
Once again, spare us on the lectures.  I think we might know a bit more about Michigan football and all of the traditions surrounding it.  As deuce and TK pointed out, the No. 1 was never really a topic of discussion until Braylon came along.  To me and many other Michigan fans, the No. 1 really only stood for one thing and that was AC prior to Braylon.  Yes, there have been several prominent receivers who have donned the No. 1 since AC, but there have also been several not so prominent receivers don the No. 1 as well.  The thing is, it was NEVER an issue up until Braylon.  No one was up in arms debating whether or not Tyrone Butterfield was worthy of wearing No. 1 during his tenure at Michigan.  No one debated the merits of David Terrell.  It was just accepted.
 
The only reason the number has gained in significance is because Braylon saught to wear the number and he was the first that was actually forced to earn the right to wear the No.1.  Now, suddenly it is some time honored and hallowed tradition to earn the right to wear the No. 1 because it happened once since AC roamed the sidelines???
 
And since your such an expert on Michigan traditions, could you please explain why no one has wanted the No. 1 jersey SINCE Braylon???  As TK noted, why are we not all over LC for not holding up and honoring the tradition since BE's departure???
 

ORIGINAL: AVBucks2521
Your post only strengthens my "defensive mechanism" theory even further. Michigan has never had more negative press than it faces right now and many of you aren't sure how to deal with it. Thus, every criticism is seen as coming straight from the pen of Satan. I know I am a Buckeye fan, but I hope you don't have me on his level.

 
Maybe you're right.  We Michigan fans just aren't used to dealing with this much negative press.  Perhaps, you as a Buckeye fan could share with us how you deal with all of the negative press pouring out of C'bus over the years?!  Could you shed some light on Buckeye 'defense mechanisms'???
 
If this is the extent of the 'negative press' that I'm going to have to deal with, I think I'll be ok.  Some of the negative press you mentioned doesn't even include Coach Rodriguez who seems to be in your crosshairs.  Mario's troubles occurred under the previous regime.  And 2 prominent players transfer is NEGATIVE?  I wonder what the press was saying when Bo took over and he lost FORTY players??? 
 
Allow me to enlighten you on some of the positives.  Coach Rod has already proven he can recruit.  He not only held together a top 15 recruiting class put together by Coach Carr and his staff, he went and added to it making it a top 5 class.  And yes, he lost out on the Pryor sweepstakes, but he sure did make OSU sweat it out more than they ever thought they would have to for the supposed lock.  And look at how he's already got this recruiting class shaping up for next year... 
 
Call me crazy or as you would call it, lacking objectivity, but I'm not one to get all worked up over something that hasn't run its course.  Especially something involving a tradition moreso for the fans to discuss than anything.  If that makes me a non-objective fan, I guess I'm guilty as charged...