Les Miles=Liar

[Carolina_Packer]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/SPORTS06/712110397

After vehemently denying that he was talking to Michigan before the SEC championship game and going on several shows reiterating the same line, and then signing an extension, it appears that Les Miles may still end up going to Michigan?

Why the smokescreen? Why not just be honest and say that you don't want to talk about your future while you are trying to coach your current team, but that you have already made your feelings known about Michigan and that it is a job and place of interest, but that you will comment on it when the season is over? Why sign a contract extension if there is a chance you might opt out after a few weeks and go to Michigan? Seems like he could have handled this all much better than he has and is.

Your thoughts?

[Rastak]

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/SPORTS06/712110397

After vehemently denying that he was talking to Michigan before the SEC championship game and going on several shows reiterating the same line, and then signing an extension, it appears that Les Miles may still end up going to Michigan?

Why the smokescreen? Why not just be honest and say that you don't want to talk about your future while you are trying to coach your current team, but that you have already made your feelings known about Michigan and that it is a job and place of interest, but that you will comment on it when the season is over? Why sign a contract extension if there is a chance you might opt out after a few weeks and go to Michigan? Seems like he could have handled this all much better than he has and is.

Your thoughts?


My initial thought and current thought is "who the bloody hell is Les Miles....."

[The Leaper]

How does it appear he is going to Michigan?

Michigan called, and Miles talked to them. He's an alum...what is he supposed to do? Hang up on them?

The bottom line is that Michigan is DESPERATE. Their haughty, tradition-rich program isn't going to be content on taking some no-name...as Ohio State did with Jim Tressel. Jim Rome and all the other pundits laughed and laughed and laughed at Ohio State for not landing a "name". Who is laughing now?

Michigan's AD, Bill Martin, is a joke in terms of major college athletics. The guy cares more about sailing around on a boat than building a football program. Their president is equally a dumbass. They couldn't find a talented guy like Tressel from the lower ranks of college football if their lives depended on it.

Michigan got screwed because they have a bunch of idiots in charge who didn't foresee LSU launching a pre-emptive strike by throwing a big money deal at Miles prior to the SEC title game.

Whoopsie.

Let's review. It is likely one of their other top in-house candidates may go to Arkanasas to take their head coaching gig. Rutger's high-profile Schiano told Michigan to go jump in Lake Erie. Their own alum, Miles, who has been spouting that he wanted to coach Michigan for the last decade to anyone who would listen, has publically turned them down. Michigan, who PRIDES itself as being the crown jewel of college football, looks like a complete mess.

So, tell me again how this article shows anything that hints to Miles leaving LSU. To me, it reeks of how desperate and hopeless Michigan's situation is right now.

[Partial]

I think ADs are primarily concerned with all the title 9 sports and not just football. Stanford has an adequate at best football program but they were rated the best college sports school in the nation last year when factoring in all title 9 sports. I forget what that award is called, though.

[cpk1994]

How does it appear he is going to Michigan?

Michigan called, and Miles talked to them. He's an alum...what is he supposed to do? Hang up on them?

The bottom line is that Michigan is DESPERATE. Their haughty, tradition-rich program isn't going to be content on taking some no-name...as Ohio State did with Jim Tressel. Jim Rome and all the other pundits laughed and laughed and laughed at Ohio State for not landing a "name". Who is laughing now?

Michigan's AD, Bill Martin, is a joke in terms of major college athletics. The guy cares more about sailing around on a boat than building a football program. Their president is equally a dumbass. They couldn't find a talented guy like Tressel from the lower ranks of college football if their lives depended on it.

Michigan got screwed because they have a bunch of idiots in charge who didn't foresee LSU launching a pre-emptive strike by throwing a big money deal at Miles prior to the SEC title game.

Whoopsie.

Let's review. It is likely one of their other top in-house candidates may go to Arkanasas to take their head coaching gig. Rutger's high-profile Schiano told Michigan to go jump in Lake Erie. Their own alum, Miles, who has been spouting that he wanted to coach Michigan for the last decade to anyone who would listen, has publically turned them down. Michigan, who PRIDES itself as being the crown jewel of college football, looks like a complete mess.

So, tell me again how this article shows anything that hints to Miles leaving LSU. To me, it reeks of how desperate and hopeless Michigan's situation is right now.
You are forgetting one point. It wasn't until Kirk Herbstreit and ESPN idiotically leaked Miles going to Michigan first which caused LSU to act. Somebody up at Michigan leaked the info to Kirk.

[The Leaper]

I think ADs are primarily concerned with all the title 9 sports and not just football.

You have a point...

However, we are talking about Michigan here...not Stanford. With all due respect, Stanford is not anywhere near Michigan's status level in terms of any individual sport...and is respected more for its adedemics than athletics, although they do very well in athletics across the board.

When it comes to a school like Michigan, the AD better commit about 80% of his time and resources to football if he plans on keeping his job.

[The Leaper]

You are forgetting one point. It wasn't until Kirk Herbstreit and ESPN idiotically leaked Miles going to Michigan first which caused LSU to act. Somebody up at Michigan leaked the info to Kirk.

How is that forgetting anything. You are precisely correct. It seems Michigan ASSUMED they had Miles in the bag.

I'm not missing anything. This is exactly why Michigan is desperate right now. They thought they had this all wrapped up. Herbstreit has plenty of connections in the Big Ten, and I'm sure he got his info from someone who is part of the decision-making process at Michigan. The Michigan AD went off on his boat down in Florida and was unavailable to the media when they went looking for him when this all went down.

Suddenly, it isn't all wrapped up...and that is why Michigan is shit out of luck.

[Fritz]

Michigan pooped the bed on this one. I'm an alum, and I'm seeing what's happening. Michigan has been on a decline for a couple of years now.

Miles's LSU teams are the most penalized in the nation the last two years. I'm not sure why he's such a hot, hot candidate for that reason alone. Michigan seems stuck on finding a "name" insteaed of the guy that will step in, take control, and win with integrity.

Michigan is also notoriously cheap in terms of paying assistant coaches. Supposedly you're supposed to be grateful to be allowed to be associated with such a great university, etc. What a load.

I'm also a little tired of the whiny Michigan fans calling in to talk radio. Waahh, waaaahhh, waaaaahh.

As for Miles himself, who amongst us would really be surprised if he ended jumping ship (though I don't think he will)? Is he any different than, say, Nick Saban, who denied vehemently (blaming the media like so many of them do) that he was interested in becoming Alabama's coach. Then - ta-da! - he's Alabama's coach!

It's gotten so ugly. And we wonder why the players seem selfish.

[Carolina_Packer]

But why put up a smokescreen in the first place? Doesn't it end up making Miles look foolish as a person in the end? Not only foolish, but a liar. I can take no comment, and I could even take him saying he was talking to Michigan, but that nothing has been decided. This is Miles hedging his bets, possibly trying to up his price, but willing to stonewall in the meantime before the national championship game. Why not just say, I'll discuss my future after the championship game? That way you don't have to look like a liar.

[hoosier]

My initial thought and current thought is "who the bloody hell is Les Miles....."

A guy who doesn't like flying??

[The Leaper]

Why not just say, I'll discuss my future after the championship game? That way you don't have to look like a liar.

Again...how does Miles look like anything you claim?

By all accounts, Michigan called him...not visa-versa. LSU gave Michigan permission to talk to him, and I doubt that is retracted simply because Miles signed a big new deal.

Miles will only look like a liar if he actually goes to Michigan. If he can use Michigan's circumstances to drum up his own personal value to LSU, good for him. Would you not try to increase YOUR salary if you could simply do so by flaunting another employer's name in front of your current employer?

I just don't see where you are coming from. If Miles does go to Michigan...fine, crucify him as a greedy liar. Until he does...and this article doesn't offer anything to suggest that is some kind of certainty, in fact it goes out of its way to suggest that won't happen...why be so critical of Miles for talking to his alma mater?

[cpk1994]

You are forgetting one point. It wasn't until Kirk Herbstreit and ESPN idiotically leaked Miles going to Michigan first which caused LSU to act. Somebody up at Michigan leaked the info to Kirk.

How is that forgetting anything. You are precisely correct. It seems Michigan ASSUMED they had Miles in the bag.

I'm not missing anything. This is exactly why Michigan is desperate right now. They thought they had this all wrapped up. Herbstreit has plenty of connections in the Big Ten, and I'm sure he got his info from someone who is part of the decision-making process at Michigan. The Michigan AD went off on his boat down in Florida and was unavailable to the media when they went looking for him when this all went down.

Suddenly, it isn't all wrapped up...and that is why Michigan is shit out of luck. But, its not Michigan's fault that Kirk shot off his mouth, and woke LSU up. They didn't screw up anything, Kirk did.

[mngolf19]

I think ADs are primarily concerned with all the title 9 sports and not just football.

You have a point...

However, we are talking about Michigan here...not Stanford. With all due respect, Stanford is not anywhere near Michigan's status level in terms of any individual sport...and is respected more for its adedemics than athletics, although they do very well in athletics across the board.

When it comes to a school like Michigan, the AD better commit about 80% of his time and resources to football if he plans on keeping his job.

Just for the record, Stanford wins the Director's Cup most every year which is based on the results of almost all sports (men's and women's) in the athletic dept. So I would say that they rank above Mich in sports status level. Mich is always up there in those standings as well.
Here's a link.

http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/nacda/sports/directorscup/auto_pdf/finald1standings

[The Leaper]

Just for the record, Stanford wins the Director's Cup most every year which is based on the results of almost all sports (men's and women's) in the athletic dept. So I would say that they rank above Mich in sports status level. Mich is always up there in those standings as well.

I'm talking about the status of an INDIVIDUAL sport, not the sports program as a whole. Michigan's success in athletics is almost solely reliant on what the football team does. They could win the national title in every other sport...if their football team is 5-6, the Maize and Blue nation won't be happy.

Does any one sport dominate Stanford like that? Of course not, which is why it can compete in so many sports successfully.

There is no sports team at Stanford that comes near to the status of Michigan in college football...or North Carolina in college basketball...or USC in college baseball. Sure, they compete well in everything. However, they don't have a historically dominant team in one of the major college sports.

[The Leaper]

But, its not Michigan's fault that Kirk shot off his mouth, and woke LSU up. They didn't screw up anything, Kirk did.

Kirk was clearly told something by someone at Michigan, and not "off the record" or he wouldn't have reported it...or Michigan would've jumped all over him for reporting something that was untrue.

Thus, Michigan screwed it up. They didn't jump all over Kirk...because he would've given up his source and made Michigan look even more foolish, because I'm sure it was someone high on the food chain who gave him the info.

[Tyrone Bigguns]

Just for the record, Stanford wins the Director's Cup most every year which is based on the results of almost all sports (men's and women's) in the athletic dept. So I would say that they rank above Mich in sports status level. Mich is always up there in those standings as well.

I'm talking about the status of an INDIVIDUAL sport, not the sports program as a whole. Michigan's success in athletics is almost solely reliant on what the football team does. They could win the national title in every other sport...if their football team is 5-6, the Maize and Blue nation won't be happy.

Does any one sport dominate Stanford like that? Of course not, which is why it can compete in so many sports successfully.

There is no sports team at Stanford that comes near to the status of Michigan in college football...or North Carolina in college basketball...or USC in college baseball. Sure, they compete well in everything. However, they don't have a historically dominant team in one of the major college sports.

I don't mean to quibble, but I think 26 PAC 10 championships and 7 NCAA Titles in 28 years easily beats UNC, UM or any other program.

Course, it is in Men's swimming, but still... :P

[Tyrone Bigguns]

How does it appear he is going to Michigan?

Michigan called, and Miles talked to them. He's an alum...what is he supposed to do? Hang up on them?

The bottom line is that Michigan is DESPERATE. Their haughty, tradition-rich program isn't going to be content on taking some no-name...as Ohio State did with Jim Tressel. Jim Rome and all the other pundits laughed and laughed and laughed at Ohio State for not landing a "name". Who is laughing now?

Michigan's AD, Bill Martin, is a joke in terms of major college athletics. The guy cares more about sailing around on a boat than building a football program. Their president is equally a dumbass. They couldn't find a talented guy like Tressel from the lower ranks of college football if their lives depended on it.

Michigan got screwed because they have a bunch of idiots in charge who didn't foresee LSU launching a pre-emptive strike by throwing a big money deal at Miles prior to the SEC title game.

Whoopsie.

Let's review. It is likely one of their other top in-house candidates may go to Arkanasas to take their head coaching gig. Rutger's high-profile Schiano told Michigan to go jump in Lake Erie. Their own alum, Miles, who has been spouting that he wanted to coach Michigan for the last decade to anyone who would listen, has publically turned them down. Michigan, who PRIDES itself as being the crown jewel of college football, looks like a complete mess.

So, tell me again how this article shows anything that hints to Miles leaving LSU. To me, it reeks of how desperate and hopeless Michigan's situation is right now.

I agree with most of your post, but take exception with calling Tressel a no name..and using pundits and Jim Rome doesn't help your argument. Rome and most of those pundits are idiots.

Tressel was well known in Ohio..which is really all you need if you want to succeed. A good rep in Ohio will give you almost all the recruits you need.

Tressel coached at Akron and Miami of OH before moving on to Cuse and then to Ohio State. And, then his record at Youngstown was unfreakingbelievable. Maybe those idiot pundits don't know or care about national championships at lower levels but many others do.

[cheesner]

I think ADs are primarily concerned with all the title 9 sports and not just football.

You have a point...

However, we are talking about Michigan here...not Stanford. With all due respect, Stanford is not anywhere near Michigan's status level in terms of any individual sport...and is respected more for its adedemics than athletics, although they do very well in athletics across the board.

When it comes to a school like Michigan, the AD better commit about 80% of his time and resources to football if he plans on keeping his job.

Just for the record, Stanford wins the Director's Cup most every year which is based on the results of almost all sports (men's and women's) in the athletic dept. So I would say that they rank above Mich in sports status level. Mich is always up there in those standings as well.
Here's a link.

http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/nacda/sports/directorscup/auto_pdf/finald1standings
I don't know, it is kind of like saying: well the Honda Civic has better fuel economy and comes in the color I like, the Ferrari does handle better, I think the Honda is a better car.

More fans show up to watch Stanford football than all of the other Stanford sports combined. Football, with the likely exception of basketball, is usually the only sport that actually pays for itself (in fact, it pays for most of the other sports as well.) Football is clearly far more important than most other college sports and should be weighted more than the others when determining which athletic program is most successful.

[mngolf19]

I think ADs are primarily concerned with all the title 9 sports and not just football.

You have a point...

However, we are talking about Michigan here...not Stanford. With all due respect, Stanford is not anywhere near Michigan's status level in terms of any individual sport...and is respected more for its adedemics than athletics, although they do very well in athletics across the board.

When it comes to a school like Michigan, the AD better commit about 80% of his time and resources to football if he plans on keeping his job.

Just for the record, Stanford wins the Director's Cup most every year which is based on the results of almost all sports (men's and women's) in the athletic dept. So I would say that they rank above Mich in sports status level. Mich is always up there in those standings as well.
Here's a link.

http://www.cstv.com/auto_pdf/p_hotos/s_chools/nacda/sports/directorscup/auto_pdf/finald1standings
I don't know, it is kind of like saying: well the Honda Civic has better fuel economy and comes in the color I like, the Ferrari does handle better, I think the Honda is a better car.

More fans show up to watch Stanford football than all of the other Stanford sports combined. Football, with the likely exception of basketball, is usually the only sport that actually pays for itself (in fact, it pays for most of the other sports as well.) Football is clearly far more important than most other college sports and should be weighted more than the others when determining which athletic program is most successful.

That would be true if your judging on a monetary basis alone. But that wouldn't be sensible in my mind. At Minnesota, they make a profit on Men's basketball, Men's Hockey, Football, and are very close on Wrestling and Women's basketball. And they are generally in the top 15 for the Director's Cup. Based on that I could call them more successful. But I suppose like you said, it's all in what you are looking for and judging on.

[Harlan Huckleby]

But, its not Michigan's fault that Kirk shot off his mouth, and woke LSU up. They didn't screw up anything, Kirk did.

I haven't figured out what Herbstreet did wrong. He claims he had reliable sources saying that Michigan & Miles were close to agreement. He's a reporter, it's his job to get these scoops. His info might have been wrong, but I suspect it was at least credible.

[The Leaper]

I agree with most of your post, but take exception with calling Tressel a no name..and using pundits and Jim Rome doesn't help your argument. Rome and most of those pundits are idiots.

Of course they are idiots. Tressel was a brilliant choice by Ohio State.

However, any I-AA coach is a no-name by major college football standards. Outside of Ohio, no one had a clue who Jim Tressel was. No one knew about his collection of national titles at the lowel level.

I remember VIVIDLY how Jim Rome spent hours literally laughing about the ridiculous hire Ohio State made...that is was insane for a program the stature of Ohio State to go diving to the I-AA level for a coach.

So yes...Rome is a huge idiot. However, 9 out of 10 college football fans outside of the state of Ohio would not have even heard of Tressel's name prior to his hiring at Ohio State...just like 9 out of 10 fans have no idea App State and Delaware are playing for the Football Subdivision Multiplication and Subtraction Championship on Friday.

To me, that means no-name. To Michigan, that means no-name. I don't think Michigan can handle hiring a no-name...even if it makes sense, like Tressel's hiring did for Ohio State.

[Bretsky]

Michigan pooped the bed on this one. I'm an alum, and I'm seeing what's happening. Michigan has been on a decline for a couple of years now.

Miles's LSU teams are the most penalized in the nation the last two years. I'm not sure why he's such a hot, hot candidate for that reason alone. Michigan seems stuck on finding a "name" insteaed of the guy that will step in, take control, and win with integrity.

Michigan is also notoriously cheap in terms of paying assistant coaches. Supposedly you're supposed to be grateful to be allowed to be associated with such a great university, etc. What a load.

I'm also a little tired of the whiny Michigan fans calling in to talk radio. Waahh, waaaahhh, waaaaahh.

As for Miles himself, who amongst us would really be surprised if he ended jumping ship (though I don't think he will)? Is he any different than, say, Nick Saban, who denied vehemently (blaming the media like so many of them do) that he was interested in becoming Alabama's coach. Then - ta-da! - he's Alabama's coach!

It's gotten so ugly. And we wonder why the players seem selfish.


:bclap: :bclap: :bclap: :bclap: :bclap: :bclap: :bclap:

[Carolina_Packer]

OK, so Miles is denying that he was speaking to Michigan about the job, and was offering them tips on their coaching search because he is being a good alum. If Kirk Herbsteit's reporting was correct, then Miles did lie becuase he adamantly denied that he was a candidate and that he was talking to Michigan about the job. If he ends up taking the Michigan job after all this smoke he's blowing, then he's pulling a Nick Saban and we should be wary of any coach who makes adamant statements about having no interest. He can still take the Michigan job, but it won't look to good for him.

[Fritz]

Okay, let's say - let's pretend - that Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman and AD Bill Martin spoke to Les Miles this past Friday just to get his advice on the coaching search. That's what both sides are claiming, so let's pretend they're telling the truth.

Now, both sides are well aware that there is a large, large contingent of powerful Michigan alumni who still think Les Miles should be Michigan's coach (I'm not powerful nor do I think Les Miles is all that, but that's beside the point). How will those people see such a meeting? Of course - it fires up their hopes and makes anyone else who is a candidate seem that much more like a third choice (Schiano from Rutgers also turned Michigan down). It also makes everyone study even more closely Miles's recent statement that he will definitely be LSU's coach - next season. Oh - but what about 2009? Maybe U-M will hire an interim and wait for Miles.

Furthermore, can we really believe that Michigan, with all its connections and money, doesn't already have access to other football coaches and football people with expertise who could give advice? What advice could Les Miles give that Michigan couldn't have gotten elsewhere?

So Michigan has shot itself in the foot - again. If Les Miles pulls a Nick Saban or a Bobby Petrino and jumps ship, then he looks like - well, he looks ingenuous and fairly conniving. How good will that be for Michigan football? So he goes to some recruit's house and talks about the importance of team, and being a man of your word, and looks the kid in the eye and promises he, Les Miles, will be there for that kid. The guy will have zero integrity. Zero. And oh, that's what Michigan supposedly is all about. And if Miles doesn't come to Michigan, whomever is chosen will start off with a lots of people's ill will, thanks to the way the university - specifically, Bill Martin - handled this.

At this point I'm slightly embarrassed to be an alum. But I did get a good education there.

[cpk1994]

But, its not Michigan's fault that Kirk shot off his mouth, and woke LSU up. They didn't screw up anything, Kirk did.

I haven't figured out what Herbstreet did wrong. He claims he had reliable sources saying that Michigan & Miles were close to agreement. He's a reporter, it's his job to get these scoops. His info might have been wrong, but I suspect it was at least credible.Thats not what he said though. If he had said that he would have been fine. What he said was, barring unforseen circumstances, Miles would be the head coach at Michigan. Even the ombudsman of ESPN criticized this issue here:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=schreiber_leanne&id=3148853

scroll to the bottom for the part about Miles/Herbstreit. He had one source and didn't corroborate it. That is what he did wrong.

[The Leaper]

There is plenty of blame to toss around in the Herbstreit/Miles incident. It is another example of how the media is about as trustworthy as a $3 bill. In their quest to break a story first, they rarely double check facts or ensure their story is 100% accurate...because there is no detriment to being wrong. ESPN will get more ratings over the entire Miles issue than if they hadn't said anything at all.

Kirk needs to go back to being a college football analyst, not some kind of investigative reporter. He should watch film and break down matchups. In the last 2 years, his analysis has gone in the crapper because he spends more time in travel and schmoozing than he does breaking down film. The guy used to be able to pick 80% of the games right on the money...now, he doesn't get it right any more often than Corso does.

[The Leaper]

Okay, let's say - let's pretend - that Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman and AD Bill Martin spoke to Les Miles this past Friday just to get his advice on the coaching search. That's what both sides are claiming, so let's pretend they're telling the truth.

It's not the truth.

Michigan is desperate...and probably called Miles hoping to lure him away from LSU. If LSU wasn't playing for a national title, they might have been able to do it. However, Miles IS playing for a national title...and isn't about to bite the hand that is willing to feed him plenty of money and give him a shot at a national championship.

So, when word leaks out about the call...Miles claims it was for advice, because he isn't interested in slamming his alma mater...and Michigan certainly has no reason to set the record straight either.

Michigan screwed the pooch by not getting this taken care of BEFORE the BCS disintegrated into a toss up. Michigan should have been ready to get on the phone with Miles immediately after the SEC title game...before BCS hell broke loose.

Instead, their AD was out-of-touch yachting it up in Florida...because he cares more about his precious little boats than he does about the Michigan athletic departments. Nice guy to have in charge, boys. If that's the Skipper, where's Gilligan?

[swede]

Michigan pooped the bed AND screwed the pooch?

Maybe Skinbasket should apply to coach at Michigan. They sound like his kind of people.

[The Leaper]

Michigan pooped the bed AND screwed the pooch?

What can we say?

Ann Arbor is a whore.