Interesting comments from Brandon on coaches tour

Copied from someone in attendance.....Checking in from North Scottsdale


Just wanted to give a quick update on the coaches tour from North Scottsdale.  I actually feel humbled that I was invited and came away feeling so fortunate about the quality of people we have coaching our teams.  First, it's hard to relate just how warm and genuine both Brady Hoke and John Beilein are in person.  Got to chat with  them and almost feel as if I've known them both for years.  I was introduced to Brady and had a frosty mug of beer in my hand and he started tugging on my shirt sleeve asking where did you get that.  Someone quickly got him  a cold beer too.  Brady asked me where I was from and where I went to high school.  I told him I went to Comstock High in the greater Kalamzoo area.  I was surprised when he  said he knows exactly where that school is  and that he's been there before.  He was like, I know all the high schools in Michigan.  I asked him about Deveon Allen at  Brophy here in Phoenix and he marveled about his speed but said we already have 3 WR's for next year.  He said people only know about 2 of them and that Allen has connections to Ohio.  Finally, I asked him if we were going to install that triple option Nebraska ran against us at the goal line last year and he just laughed and said that wasn't a real play---it looked great and worked well but it wasn't a real play.

I got to have dinner accross the table from Dave Brandon.  He's not quite as personable as Hoke or Beilein but had a lot of interesting things to say.  He raved on and on about Zack Novack as did Beilein.  They both told the story about Cazzie Russell showing up at practice and asking to meet Novack and complementing him by saying that if he ever ended up in a foxhole he wanted to be in there with Novack.   Dave said that he tried to make the MSU game a night game but that he didn't have enough security.  He said that he lets Brady and the players make the call about the throwback uniforms and the numbers on the helmets.  He also said that he wanted to switch years with ND so that we didn't have so many big away games in the same year but that they refused.  He complained somewhat about needing better facilities for the non-revenue sports such as water polo.  Finally, emphasized that we are not a win at all cost program.  We want to win the right way.  He felt that the OSU NCAA penalty was not unreasonable given that many SEC schools get away with far worse.

I think this coaches tour is a great idea and being a part of it made me feel like a kid in a candy store.  Only regret that Red Berenson wasn't a part of it here in AZ but getting to rub elbows with the other great Michigan coaches was wonderful and I got a feeling it helps motivate some more donations to the athletic dept. 

If we didn't have a problem for ND, why would we have a problem for any game? I just don't get it. Bottom line, he just doesn't want to do it.

C'mon though '85. I don't think I'd compare ND's fan base with MSU's.

WAY WAY DIFFERENT.

I just think the security comment is weak. UM can afford the extra personnel to make sure everyone is safe and has a good time.

Ok, DEvil's Advocate.

Why hasn't MSU "invited" us to play a night game in EL?

They have lights. They've played a bunch of night games. We've played ONE!

Good stuff '85, thanks.

Hmm, can we assume that the third WR is Treadwell? And that Allen got left out in the cold? Too bad, that kid can flat out fly.

I say to hell with State, don't give them the media time a night game would bring, especially in their (our) home state. Night games are huge for recruiting purposes, don't give them a damn inch.

From what I have read, Mark Hollis plans a night game between UM/MSU next year. Do I think that will happen for sure? I will have to wait and see. You do make a good point though. Why haven't they played at night? I can remember some 3:30 games up there that finished near dark.

I side with dog. Why give MSU the vindication of giving them a special night game in the BH?

Either way, AWESOME POST, 85.

I feel good about every single word of it.

I agree 85 that is a weak excuse. He said early on that OSU and MSU would not be night games. I think he just trying to justify it now.

Let's take 4 wr's. Hell we have 18 LB's and 15 OL. Seriously-I would love to see good competition and depth at that position. I think RR left the cupboard pretty bare when it comes to pro style wr's. Let's restock the cupboard.

I for one never want sparty in A2 at night. We don't need drunk idiots driving on the streets in A2. They are violent s.o.b.'s too, no need for it EVER.

Brandon is right, there isn't enough security in the world to host sparty for a night game.

Now as for Hollis considering having UM for a night game next year in east landfill it might happen. I for one won't go anywhere near that place though. Look for a new crop of youtube riot videos if that happens.

WillieMfan wrote:

I think RR left the cupboard pretty bare when it comes to pro style wr's. Let's restock the cupboard.

Oh come on, not that excuse again. It was semi-sorta justifiable under Rich Clod (and he ran off the few remaining talented players we had) and true, we don't have a lot of Pro-style prospects at any positions but I don't ever want to hear that excuse AGAIN.

This is Michigan fergodskaes...

Admin wrote:

I side with dog. Why give MSU the vindication of giving them a special night game in the BH?

That's what the majority of us said on MGoBlog. Can you imagine how much they would pat themselves on the back for us scheduling them at night? Regardless, I'm going to do my Bo Schembechler impression by claiming that the MSU and OSU games should be played during the day. That's something I just don't want to see changed. Night games are good for a rival like Notre Dame but the history with MSU and OSU goes back so many more years. Leave those as day games.

With that said, we're not left with many great home games during even numbered years. But how about Iowa? They scheduled a night game for us in 09 when our horrible team was about to beat them until Denard threw an interception to end the game at 30-28. Plus we owe those guys for the horrible calls they got away with in Iowa City last year.

Some time in the future, Brandon needs to make sure a night game is scheduled against Nebraska. Now THAT would be fun.

WolverineHistorian wrote:

Some time in the future, Brandon needs to make sure a night game is scheduled against Nebraska. Now THAT would be fun.

I have to agree. Nebraska fans are quickly catching Iowa fans as my favorite opposition fans to pre-game with...

But back on point: The poster regretted that Coach Berenson wasn't there. Well, I've met Coach Berenson a few times, and I knew the Hockey team fairly well back when I was in school. Coach Berenson actually seems stand-offish if you don't know him. The aura he emits is incredible though. You can just feel the hockey knowledge ooze out of him, it's very impressive. He's also somewhat shy which gives you the false impression that he might feel better than you.

All of the players that I have talked to have basically said the same thing I described although after you get to know him you'll never have a better friend in the world. Coach Berenson cares about you as a person first, young adult second, and player third. Coach Berenson is on record as saying that his main goal for any player is that they receive their degree. He wants all players to stay four years and get their degree, although if you're ready for the NHL he'll drive you to the air-port if you want to go.

There has only been one person who has left UM Hockey early that Coach Berenson thought was ready. That person was Jack Johnson, and sure enough Coach Berenson "kinda" (the team was in Colorado at the time so Coach Bereson's car was not there) drove Jack to the air-port.

Jack Johnson came back to Michigan to complete his degree the following summer. I'm not sure if he has graduated yet but I think he has.

Coach Berenson is over 70 years old, still does one-hour of cardio a day, skates with the team every practice, and still has the best back-hand on the team. He is MICHIGAN HOCKEY.

-As a side note I bumped into his son Gordie at Buffalo Wild Wings in Howell one day about 7 years ago. I knew that Gordie was most likely tired of answering questions about his Dad but after a little small-talk I worked in a question about his Dad. Gordie said that Coaching keeps his Dad young and that he loves it. As long as he has no health problems he will keep coaching. Gordie has no idea when his Dad will step down but says that Michigan Hockey has been preparing for it for years. Only Coach Berenson could give you any idea of when he will call it quits, but even he doesn't know.

Coach Berenson is Hockey's equivalent to Joe Paterno. Hopefully, Coach Berenson's legacy does not get tarnished like Paterno's. From everything I know about Coach Berenson (which admittedly isn't much) I doubt that could ever happen.

2ndComingOfBo wrote:

WillieMfan wrote:

I think RR left the cupboard pretty bare when it comes to pro style wr's. Let's restock the cupboard.

Oh come on, not that excuse again. It was semi-sorta justifiable under Rich Clod (and he ran off the few remaining talented players we had) and true, we don't have a lot of Pro-style prospects at any positions but I don't ever want to hear that excuse AGAIN.

This is Michigan fergodskaes...

Way to argue the point and then immediately agree with it. That is not easy to do.

I have never used the RR cupboard bare excuse before but you would have to be deaf dumb and blind to not see we have a bunch of 5'5 slot receivers on the roster.

I went to Michigan, nothing is hard for me to do!

We went 11-2 last year with those Lil'guys. Sure it was a favorable schedule but come on. 11-2.