The Jim Harbaugh fascination.

[clif]

I don't know if that matters to Harbaugh or not, the main reason for that is not fan apathy it's changes the administration made. Harbaugh did complain about it earlier in the year but I don't think he would leave because of that because he openly talked about why it's down.

Stanford renovated the stadium I think 06, but they made several changes after that to parking. You used to drive into Stanford and literally drive off the road and park among the trees and walk to the games, people were tailgating amongst the trees. It was a huge tradition thing, and they've significantly limited that because of fears it negatively impacts the landscaping(which I'm sure it did). Stanford also had a long stretch of losing which sort of created a generation of people who would have been Stanford football fans but didn't because they sucked. So their fan base is students, and older fans.

Harbaugh complained because he wanted to be more involved in marketing the games. One of the main complaints was how they set the game times, it's not done until a week or two before the game for TV purposes, which makes it harder as a fan to plan. Jon Wilner wrote a big story about it said look they can start as early as 2 and as late as 8pm, that's a huge variance and fans have to schedule around that so many just don't come.

But it all goes back to my earlier point, at Stanford they don't believe football is bigger than education and other things.

I hope he stays one more year but I doubt it.

As a side note, I think that is why ASU has a hard time building a fan base in addition to not being able to get more top notch recruits.... game time. I can't tell you how many times I have sat there on a saturday looking for the ASU game only to see it not one til 8pm. Why in the world do they think people are going to find interest in that? I understand to an extent why they do it, but they have got to realize that it hurts recruiting and fan interest.

 

[CardLogic]

He's not going to another college. He will be an NFL coach next season without question.

You got that directly from Harbaugh himself?

 

[desertdawg]

I'm thinking Harbaugh and Luck both end up in Carolina, with Harbaugh getting his every wish in his contract. They probably have already discussed this.

 

[Big Deal]

I hope he handles the media a little better in his next job. I though he came across as quite an ass tonight. All he had to do was politely deflect the question and say that he hasn't made a decision yet and that he will talk with his family in the coming days....just like Luck did. Instead, he spent all of his energy running away from both Michelle Tafoya and again at the trophy presentation with Reece Davis, leaving them in mid-sentence. Totally classless IMO.

Classless? Please, what Tafoya did to Luck was classless. He was in mid-sentence being interviewed and she had him wheeled around by his shoulder. It just seemed to me that the coach wanted this win to be about the players, that wasn't classless.

 

[lobo]

He will go to Denver in my opinion.


They have a great Stanford Alum who is at the Orange Bowl selling him on it as we speak in Elway.

Little known facts...picked up for a DUI while he was readying for Tulane job while at SDState....number of agents who rep other NFL coaches don't want to touch him....real hothead with temper.....let's see what happens

 

[Russ Smith]

Dude.... Michigan will pay him. he will be a freaking savior with AT LEAST the same job security as the pro's.

He gets a private plane. And all the trappings of a big head coaching contract in college.

I think one thing being overlooked with Michigan is the fact that they're on probation for 3 years because of Rodriguez. They have restrictions on practice time until Nov 2013. I don't think they lost any scholarships so maybe it's not a probation that will concern a coach, but if I'm looking at a total rebuild that sort of thing might concern me?

You also have to look at personnel, Michigan runs a totally different system than Harbaugh does, Denard Robinson is a great player but he's a runner, 1700 yards, not a passer(he did pretty well). Harbaugh is a pro set offense, he loves to use heavy packages, multiple TE's, extra linemen, and he wants a QB who can throw, Michigan doesn't have one on their roster.

Stanford doesn't have another Andrew Luck but they do have 2 fairly heralded freshman and a soph all of whom are passing QB's. I have to wonder if he'd want to take the Michigan job and be forced to play his system without a passing QB, maybe he'd adapt and just let Robinson run, who knows.

 

[Russ Smith]

Classless? Please, what Tafoya did to Luck was classless. He was in mid-sentence being interviewed and she had him wheeled around by his shoulder. It just seemed to me that the coach wanted this win to be about the players, that wasn't classless.

Exactly, and when you've answered the same question 500 times that week and then she tries to corner him on air about it, I'd get mad too.

 

[Russ Smith]

Little known facts...picked up for a DUI while he was readying for Tulane job while at SDState....number of agents who rep other NFL coaches don't want to touch him....real hothead with temper.....let's see what happens

He was at San Diego and the DUI was in 2005 so I think enough time has passed people probably aren't so concerned. Gruden had at least 2 DUI's with the Raiders and still gets NFL offers.

When Harbaugh made some comments about things he didn't like at Michigan, them steering athletes into easy academic paths, not supporting athletes after they leave Michigan etc, he got blasted by the Michigan media so I think the DUI thing is not exactly a secret, one of the guys who blasted him even showed a pic of Harbaugh presumably when he was booked for the DUI.

He definitely has a personality that can rub some the wrong way, recall his issues with Pete Carroll, but that's the type of personality that succeeds as a football coach.

 

[PACardsFan]

I was hoping really hard that he would take the MI position. Per Harbaugh's brother, it sounds like he's already told Michigan that he's not interested. That's why Michigan has somewhat backed off the media's initial report that Rodriguez was being fired. Jim Harbaugh's goal has always been to coach in the NFL, and that's where he's heading. Carolina claims they haven't even reached out to him & they're already saying that they will take Luck (if he comes out & he will) with the 1st pick & won't even entertain trade talks. Let's hope he doesn't pick the Niners, otherwise we'll need 12 wins every year to win that division. Personally, I hope it's Denver. Keep him in the AFC!!

 

[Evil Ash]

I was hoping really hard that he would take the MI position. Per Harbaugh's brother, it sounds like he's already told Michigan that he's not interested. That's why Michigan has somewhat backed off the media's initial report that Rodriguez was being fired. Jim Harbaugh's goal has always been to coach in the NFL, and that's where he's heading. Carolina claims they haven't even reached out to him & they're already saying that they will take Luck (if he comes out & he will) with the 1st pick & won't even entertain trade talks. Let's hope he doesn't pick the Niners, otherwise we'll need 12 wins every year to win that division. Personally, I hope it's Denver. Keep him in the AFC!!

Evidently its not a given even if Harbaugh leaves. He likes being in school, his dad doesn't want him going out with a possible lockout looming, and Peyton Manning was giving him advice saying to stay in school. His parents don't have financial problems and he'd likely stay the consensus #1 pick next year as well.

I'd lean toward him leaving is Harbaugh leaves but according to one of the ESPN analysts its 50/50.

As for Harbaugh himself, I think it comes down to $$. If teams lowball him he'll stay put for another year