The fact that I eschewed the new hotness of hyperlinking to bring back the in-post picture is probably also a bad sign for Rodriguez.
When Rich Rod was hired on at U-M, I was moderately excited. I don't know if 'excited' is the right verb, but I do remember thinking it was a good change. Michigan had been mired in mediocrity ever since the 1997 National Championship team. 3 losses here, 4 losses there- and even a 5 loss year. Getting badly outplayed against Ohio State and in Bowl Games against the other powers- USC, Texas, and Nebraska.
I was excited (maybe intrigued is a better word, but it's too late to go back now) for Rich Rod because I felt that a change was exactly what the doctor ordered. Even though we were only about 10 years removed from that National Championship, it was probably closer to 20 years removed from serious national relevance. Change for the sake of change isn't good- but it was obvious that the Wolverines needed some sort of shift. Richie Rich, in my mind, was representative of possibilities. The possibility of becoming a major player on the national scene again, and not the butt of so many jokes- the ideas were mesmerizing.
I knew that there would be a painful transition period, so the 3-9 debacle of 2008 wasn't a complete surprise. I mean, you're completely overhauling a program and trying to plug square pegs into round holes. That's not going to be easy, and if Michigan fans are anything, they are spoiled by a long and enduring record of not losing a lot.
But then 2009 happened...rumors from players that practice time limits were being violated. An NCAA investigation into those allegations (a BIG no-no for Maize and Blue supporters), and a second losing record. Now, a generation of Wolverine fans who had only known an upright program that always had winning records and went to bowl games were now experiencing an NCAA probe and back-to-back losing seasons. All under Rich Rod's guidance. It doesn't take a genius to see that this is a recipe for the hot seat.
This was the atmosphere surrounding the Michigan program heading into the 2010 season, and to say there was some negativity around the program would be like saying there were some people that didn't think W was a good President.
Like our former Commander-in-Chief, not all was bad in the big house this season- bowl eligibility was earned, they beat Notre Dame (which is always a good thing), they were able to capture lightning in a bottle (Denard Robinson) and of course we beat Ohio State. Actually, we didn't beat Ohio State. Ohio State actually throttled us 37-7. Ouch.
It was, of course, that loss to the hated Buckeyes which probably was the straw that not only broke the proverbial camels' back, but set it on fire and dropped a safe on it. It wasn't just the fact that the Buckeyes were victorious- it was the manner in which they were. Unlike the mid 1990's, when Michigan would seemingly lose 4 games every year and yet still beat the #1 or #2 ranked Buckeyes, there was no way in Sheol that this years team was even going to come close to victory. Defensively- a sieve that was broken upon the rocks of the Wisconsin running game a week earlier and proved to be unable to slow the Buckeyes down. Offensively- a smoke and mirrors outfit that proved to be too fast for lesser foes- and too mistake prone and soft versus real opposition.
Many fans railed for Rich Rod to be fired after the Ohio State game, but Michigan AD Dave Brandon chose instead to wait until after the bowl game to make any sort of decision. In many ways, I applaud this. Too often, decisions seem to be made too quickly, or based on the whims of a fan base. Of course- it's tough to say what sort of affect that this cloud of impending doom had on the Michigan program and its preparation for their New Years bowl game against Mississippi State.
Unfortunately for Rodriguez, it seemed to have a significant impact on game "preparation". At least, that's how the finished product came across. A 52-14 loss to Mississippi State (that wasn't even that close, honestly) was absolutely not the right kind of message to send to your AD if you're hoping to keep your job. I'll admit it was quite distracting to watch the game and keep hearing Mike Patrick and Craig James keep speculating about his job- but honestly, there wasn't much of a game for them to talk about. The whole show was humiliating- and I'm not even much of a Michigan fan anymore.
In regards to Rich Rod's status, Brandon said on Saturday that he's not going to make a decision until later in the week. I think he is good as gone- even with some visible progress, the atmosphere is too toxic for him to continue on at this point. Many people I know want to see former Michigan QB and current Stanford head man Jim Harbaugh get the job. That would be pretty cool- I really liked Harbaugh the QB, and I admire what he has done with building a very good program at one of the more prestigious academic universities (AKA one of those football schools that actually makes their players go to class).
To Rodriguez- I wish you nothing but the best in your next endeavor. You gave it your best, and it just didn't work out. To Michigan- I hope your next coach can restore the program to its former glory- or at least to get back to 8-4 years and victories over the Buckeyes.
PIC: http://www.meonews.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/rich-rodriguez-fired.jpg
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