To write this article, many qualifiers need to be used....

To write this article many qualifiers need to be used. First of all, I do not like the Michigan Wolverines. Secondly, I don't like Jim Harbaugh, why?-because he played for Michigan. Third, just read an interesting article by Pat Forde, ESPN.com.

{mosimage} A bit of background. Jim Harbaugh QB'ed for Michigan. He is now the Stanford coach. What seems like a couple of months ago, Harbaugh took a shot at the academics of the Michigan football program. Not a shot at the academics of the University, just a shot at the academics of the football team. What brought this issue back to the now time frame is comments made by Coach Carr and TB Mike Hart during the Big Ten media day. Per Pat Forde, Carr called Harbaugh's comments "Elitist, arrogant, and self serving". Check out what Hart said. "That's a guy I have no respect for", said Hart. " You graduate from the University of Michigan, and you are going to talk about your university like that, a great university like we have? To say we are not true student-athletes? I don't know if maybe he wants to coach here and he's mad he didn't get a job. ... He's not a Michigan man. I wish he'd never have played here."

Harbaugh responds, " It seemed very orchestrated and organized especially coming two months after my comments were made. I learned from a great man named Bo Schlembechler that you speak the truth as you know it. It may not be the popular thing, but you speak your mind. Everything I said is supported by fact, but the thing that has come back is the personal attack on me, not looking at the issue whatsoever". Harbaugh goes on to say, " Mike Hart is just repeating their messages. When I was a player, there would have been nobody saying anything like what Mike Hart said about me. We would have been too afraid of the consequences. That wouldn't have happened while Bo was there."

Of course we never want to get the facts get in the way of a good story. Harbaugh calls Michigan out for steering athletes to soft majors, and admitting borderline athletes. Forde takes a look at the facts. Only 30 players have declared majors. Of those 30, 19 are declared General Studies majors. That is 20% of the team and 63% of those with declared majors. There is less than 200 general studies majors at the University of Michigan, said university having an undergrad population of 25000. Only one junior on the Michigan team has a declared major.

So there are the facts. You can make of them what you wish. Maybe 63% of all college football players have a declared major in General Studies, but not at Harbaugh's Stanford, which does not have a general studies major. For all I know my college may be just as guilty as Michigan, but at least we don't share in the hyprocrisy. We don't preach or act superior to our competition academically as seems to be the Michigan way. Hell, it gets me fired up, let's play some ball.

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ItOffishul said:

forde's article did raise some interesting points. michigan fans and coaches have always been arrogant, I will admit that, and in general Michigan does have a lot of smart guys come through, look at Drew Henson who scored one of the highest Wonderlic scores ever or Jon Jansen who did likewise. Whent his story broke I felt the same way deep down and agreed with Harbaugh but at the same time I was happy Hart stood up for his school. Harbaugh may have been right in some ways but I dont like the way he handled it, why not call up Lloyd Carr and express his concerns privately, especially if he truly cares about the school's reputation?

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August 09, 2007
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JEH45 said:

ItOffishul: I'd swear I never understand anything. I agree with you as to why did Harbaugh do this. There must be a reason, but hell if I know what it was. At the same time, why did Carr and Hart respond the way they did 2 months after the fact. Christ, point to the graduation rates or whatever and talk ball. Why say what they said when the stats regarding the team are what they are? Again, Hell if I know. Speaking of graduation rates, can you imagine what you will read about Thad matta in a few years if 3 of 4 recruits continue to leave the program early for the NBA.

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August 10, 2007
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Lucida-T said:

Harbaugh would never have opened his mouth on this subject when Bo was alive- before or after graduating. Bo would have slapped him down and said basically the same thing Hart said. Harbaugh insults Michigan, Hart's major, and the football team, and Hart responds. Much of what Hart is saying is based on the ideal of the "Michigan Man", which is an unwritten sort of code which may sound corny to a lot many, but Hart seems to get. He needed no prompting from Lloyd Carr or anyone else. Hart didn't need any prompting- he was doing just what Harbaugh said that he was taught to do- "speak the truth as I see it".

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August 11, 2007
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Lucida-T said:

"General Studies" seems to be basically a custom-designed inter-departmental course of study. Most universities- including Stanford no doubt- have them in one form or another. They are used by a range of students (intensive pre-meds to athletes). Because they can choose from a huge range of upper-division courses, it is well suited to people who have fixed full-time work commitments (which pretty much describes football players), because they can choose classes with no time conflict. It all depends on the exact courses one chooses. Without seeing Michael Hart's (and other players) transcript and coursework, it is impossible to judge which classes they are choosing. he doesn't sound stupid though.

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August 11, 2007
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Lucida-T said:

As far as "the facts" and the timing go, and the timing of all this...Harbaugh made his comments in May- before published majors before they have been decided or published, and when there was no press conference for Lloyd Carr, or Michael Hart to speak. [Might also add that General Studies majors would all have the option of choosing a concentration of studies later]. The more serious charge was that Michigan fans won't hire ex-football players, they can't get a job. I don't know if that holds true. One Michign blog tracked members of the 1997 (NC team) to see what they are doing now- some are still in professional football, some are in business, some are teaching, etc. In Harbaugh's case, it is apparently true, as he got passed over for the QB Coach opening he applied for a few years ago.

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August 11, 2007
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Lucida-T said:

The bigger question is: why would Harbagh bring this up, and keep talking about it? As others mentioned, if he really cared about Michigan, he would have brought it up privately (to Carr, the AD, to Bo). Sour grapes? I doubt it- at least not as his main reason. It looks to me like he is using it for calculated PR purposes, and is directed at three elements: fans; recruits; his own players. He needs the publicity, so stirring up a bit of controversy with a couple of the bigger boys- rivals and elsewhere- is a good way to attract attention. He appeals to Stanford fans' egos and patience by reminding them how good an academic school Stanford is, and how recruiting is a tougher job there. Harbaugh took shots at Cal as well, which would be seen comparable academically with Michigan (top-tier state schools), and with whom they are in obvious competition for recruits not only in California, but he is looking to recruit nationally. He must know that Stanford will now be living in a glass house, and the light shown on it will make it hotter. So his motivation may be sending messages to Stanford players: "get serious about your own academics, because that is what we are selling the program on, and now, people are watching us". And his comment regarding Hart really meant, "I don't want you guys shooting off your mouths, drawing the heat. That's MY job".

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August 11, 2007
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Lloyds Apple said:

Everyone always seems to be saying, "when Bo was alive" and clearly the Michigan football program is lost. Sure, Carr has put together another contender this year but not all is peachy. I agree that Harbaugh was probably waiting for the right time to bitch and that time came once Bo went. Mike Hart did what Mike Hart does...open his mouth. Bottom line is Lloyd Carr is leaving soon. People are getting impatient. It will be interesting to see who applies for his job. Who are the likely candidates?

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August 11, 2007
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ZoSo said:

I don't want to get into who the candidates will be for the Michigan job after Carr leaves. However, I will say that Harbaugh is a shmuck and is bitter because he can't get the type of kids that he wants because he chose to coach at stanford. Harbaugh has no right to us Bo Schembechler's name to justify his words because Bo would never condone what he said. There's nothing worse than a bitter Benedict Arnold. Hey Jimmy doing push-ups and acting like an ass during practice will only get you so far, eventually you'll have to win.

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August 16, 2007
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JEH45 said:

ZoSo: I do wonder why Harbaugh flapped his jaws. It makes no sense to me at all. Whenever things make no sense to me, I figure there is something else going on. At the same time, I question why, 2 months after the fact Carr & Hart said what they said. Hard for them to win this verbal fight as the facts seem to support Harbaugh. At the same time, maybe the same thing can be said about every division 1 program. Hell if I know. I just find it all strange.

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August 16, 2007
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ZoSo said:

JEH45: You are absolutely correct, there is definately more than meets the eye in this one. I'm surprised Carr let anyone comment on this. Maybe the bigger questionis why do universities offer these types of degrees in the first place. If it's just to get athletes through college and nothing of substance is taught, then that is wrong. However, if these are legitmate majors with somewhat rigorous course work then these athletes choosing these majors should only be looked at no diiferently than a non-athlete who chooses this major. After all can you fault a kid for picking any major that is offered by a school. I don't think so. But maybe you can fault the university for offering so called "easy" majors. Of course what is easy to you may not be easy to me. Anyhow I'm bored of this topic. Can we please just start the season and go back to ignoring Stanford.

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August 16, 2007
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