I sent you this article and I'm a sucker for Michigan football content, so I know I shouldn't complain too much. But still, a few things:
1) You say Mike Macdonald and his "startup mentality" undermine a potential class consciousness, but he clearly QUIT HIS FINANCE JOB to pursue a career where he might actually do something of value. His example should be celebrated!!
2) I don't think your characterization of Macdonald's "fear of bigness" is wrong, because I agree that he's trying to seem more important than his particular role within the Michigan Football Team, but I think your analysis is inverted. Like, he's not some big institution trying to create the illusion of 11 go-getters in a room, he's a guy vibing trying to create the illusion of something more vast.
A key factor you ignore is that Macdonald, whose highest position so far has been NFL position coach, is not really qualified to be Michigan's defensive coordinator. So in order to pitch his hire, Macdonald and Michigan have been relying on his relationship to more established commodities like Todd Grantham and John Harbaugh, while emphasizing his supposed wide acumen and command of different philosophies.
At the risk of making a ref to a terrible show, the "startup mentality" is Macdonald's "It's Toasted." It's less thesis statement than tagline to distract from more uncomfortable questions, like, "why couldnt Michigan hire someone with an actual track record, and what does that say about the state of the program?" Which I guess ultimately does get you back to "the success or failure of Michigan football has little to do with Macdonald" regardless of what he says.
*I suppose I am a glutton for pain, but I still think the outcome could be success in the not-too-distant future! It's fair to be skeptical of Michigan's youth turn on staff, sure, but at least it is 1) A strategy and 2) different from what we've been doing.
3) There seems to be a recurring theme in these posts where you underestimate how much coaching matters, and that impulse deserves some pushback. I don't think Michigan's season is gonna be determined by the particulars of our base defense or whatever, but it's not like the defensive coordinator doesn't matter! He's still in charge of developing talent and making sure Ohio State's receivers dont shred our secondary for 60 minutes again. Like, Macdonald DOES matter as an individual, particularly because of his relationship to labor!
I sent you this article and I'm a sucker for Michigan football content, so I know I shouldn't complain too much. But still, a few things:
1) You say Mike Macdonald and his "startup mentality" undermine a potential class consciousness, but he clearly QUIT HIS FINANCE JOB to pursue a career where he might actually do something of value. His example should be celebrated!!
2) I don't think your characterization of Macdonald's "fear of bigness" is wrong, because I agree that he's trying to seem more important than his particular role within the Michigan Football Team, but I think your analysis is inverted. Like, he's not some big institution trying to create the illusion of 11 go-getters in a room, he's a guy vibing trying to create the illusion of something more vast.
A key factor you ignore is that Macdonald, whose highest position so far has been NFL position coach, is not really qualified to be Michigan's defensive coordinator. So in order to pitch his hire, Macdonald and Michigan have been relying on his relationship to more established commodities like Todd Grantham and John Harbaugh, while emphasizing his supposed wide acumen and command of different philosophies.
At the risk of making a ref to a terrible show, the "startup mentality" is Macdonald's "It's Toasted." It's less thesis statement than tagline to distract from more uncomfortable questions, like, "why couldnt Michigan hire someone with an actual track record, and what does that say about the state of the program?" Which I guess ultimately does get you back to "the success or failure of Michigan football has little to do with Macdonald" regardless of what he says.
*I suppose I am a glutton for pain, but I still think the outcome could be success in the not-too-distant future! It's fair to be skeptical of Michigan's youth turn on staff, sure, but at least it is 1) A strategy and 2) different from what we've been doing.
3) There seems to be a recurring theme in these posts where you underestimate how much coaching matters, and that impulse deserves some pushback. I don't think Michigan's season is gonna be determined by the particulars of our base defense or whatever, but it's not like the defensive coordinator doesn't matter! He's still in charge of developing talent and making sure Ohio State's receivers dont shred our secondary for 60 minutes again. Like, Macdonald DOES matter as an individual, particularly because of his relationship to labor!