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]

Re: Les Miles=Liar

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]

Re: Les Miles=Liar

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.