I'm cynical but was keeping him on until after the key bowl games (Stanford, SDSU, etc.) had been played a ploy to 'buy time' until the HCs UofM is most interested have completed their bowl games?
Or think of it this way:
IF UofM asked Harbaugh 5 weeks ago what would the answer have been?
Probably, definitely no.
Now UofM at least has a CHANCE of getting a yes.
Usually moving the decision up makes sense. Not this time.
I'm also convinced R-Rod would have gotten fired regardless of the bowl game outcome.
and UofM saves $ by firing him now, and now last year (per the buyout clause).
It's been interesting (and fully pleasing) to watch the UM struggles over the past few seasons. I'd love for that gravy train to continue, but they'll probably revert back to their 9- and 10-win seasons sooner rather than later, in which case our fun of watching the Utahs, Toledos and Appy States take them down will become rare once again.
I could see a chain reaction happen because of this.
Harbaugh goes to Michigan. Brady Hoke goes to Stanford. Rich Rod to SDSU.
Or even a swap of Hoke and Rich Rod.
While rumors are flying that Harbaugh will end up with the 49ers, I care not where he ends up or what he does. I have no dog in this fight but like Motown, am enjoying the circus that is UM.
Some people forget that there is bad blood between Harbaugh and UM from a few years ago (when RichRod was hired). Harbaugh slammed UM for its lousy academics for athletes. He said, (vaguely paraphrasing) that Stanford actually sees to it that athletes are not shuttled into "easy classes" or majors like at UM but that they are actually educated in fields that allow them to actually have a future career.
He really pissed off many UM fans and also the movers and shakers at UM that have worked so hard to establish the Michigan narrative over the years. Harbaugh blew all of it up with his former inside status as a Michigan man and his exposing of the football factory mentality there. They are very unlikely to embrace him now, even though they are getting desperate as the losses pile up.
That bad blood runs deeper than many realize. Harbaugh will NOT go to Michigan. The 49ers are meeting with him. John Elway and the Broncos would like to talk with him.
I'm wondering if JH is not just talking to them in order to get a renegotiation of his Stanford contract. He might just love where he is and see this as an opportunity to get an easy raise.
The unlikely story of '11:
Harbaugh and Luck both back for the '11 season.
I'd like to see it happen, though.
Maybe Lloyd Carr will volunteer his services as an unpaid consultant and help the new U of M coaching search.
I remember Hoke making a pretty dumb decision in 2006 when NIU Played them. NIU had the ball deep in Ball State territory, failed on 3rd down but there was a holding call against NIU. Instead of declining and giving NIU 4th down and at least 7 or so from the 10 or 15 yard line, Hoke took the penalty. NIU was still in easy field goal range. But they scored a TD on 3rd down. Think that was the game Wolfe ran for 353 yds.
Very strange. Might be a really good coach but that one was a head-scratcher. Even a Ball State player on the field was looking at him like, "What???"
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A Hoke hiring would give the B10 two ex MAC head coaches taking over programs. Or will Michigan go after Les Miles?
A tough year for Big 10 head coaches: Indiana, Minnesota and Michigan replace theirs and Illinois got bowl eligible by the skin of it's teeth and won it's bowl or Zook is gone.
Oh Zook, a coach that Florida fans do not miss. Though some still hopes he does alright regardless and honestly I would prefer an Illinois, Indiana, or a Northwestern to win the Big 10 than Ohio State or such.