This whole thing is so screwed. I'm fine with Hoke. But the fan base is gonna kill him. 47-50 career record + he's publicly said he's rip out the spread. So next year we're looking at 5-7, and 2012 is a brutal schedule 6-6 at best. So you have a coach going into year 3 with a carreer 58-63 record. "Has to win 9 games" pressure. Sound familiar?

Dave Brandon is an ass. He screwed the pooch so badly here. You're a former CEO of Domino's. WHEN IS IT EVER ADVANTAGEOUS TO BE NON-AGRESSIVE IN BUSINESS?????? Force Harbaugh's hand in late November when NFL jobs aren't available. Be aggressive!

And Lloyd Carr - you better come out hard publicly when whoever is hired is introduced and get on his bandwagon. Your silence on Rodriguez & your former players speaking out undid him terribly

Brandon needs to come out publicly (he did in his blog, but who reads that) and say "Listen. This isn't a freakin' democracy. Football programs run under one rule, just like a military ship. Whomever I bring in, get on board or get out (or shut up)"
This is what his blog says:

"The most important thing everyone can do at this point to help Michigan football is to prepare to greet our new coach with all of the support, encouragement and positive energy that we can muster. Getting our football program turned around quickly is our goal, and having our fans and supporters "jump on board" early with our new coach will help him be successful -- which is what we all want!"

SAY IT PUBLICLY!!! Why wait? Oh yeah, because that's what you do.

My #1 fear is this:

How Rich Rod was treated by fans and fan expectations and athletic department unity and how Rich Rod was left hanging in the wind is directly affecting people's desire to be associated with Michigan

"It's Michigan"
"It's a great opportunity"
Yeah, and you have to walk a perfect tightrope or else you're chewed up & spit out

Harbaugh & Miles, in my opinion, basically thought "Sure, it's my alma matter. It'd be great to coach them. But not like this"
If this was Dec 2007, and Rich Rod had never happened, I can't say with any confidence that Harbaugh would have not have come. I believe the past 3 years and the arrogance & shenanigans directly affected Harbaugh & Miles' interest in this job.

Here's another major point (underscoring my overall scorn for unrealistic fans):

Harbaugh is 28-21 at Stanford. Great season this year.

Say he was hired:
2011:  Sets up great for UM, say they go 10-2 and lose to MSU or Iowa or Nebraska, and OSU
2012:  Nightmare schedule. 8-4 is possible, with another loss to OSU
2013 & 2014:  Say there's under-achievement.  Is 8-4 or 9-3 gonna endear him to the program?

So in 4 years at Michigan, Harbaugh has "regressed". Of course no UM fan thinks this is possible if Harbaugh had come - because HARBAUGH WAS OUR SAVIOR!!!!

But it's 100% possible, and even probable. In the scenario above, he's won 0 Big Ten titles, 0 BCS games, and is 1-3 against OSU?

His career record now is 28-21 ... what "realisticly" says he'll go 40-10 in his first 5 years at UM?  What if he goes 32-18? 

So EVEN THE PERFECT HIRE isn't perfect. And fans aren't willing to recognize this.

All I'm saying is it's not an exact science, there are no clear cut answers, and Brandon needs to make up his mind, state it publicly, stake his job on this decision, and tell everyone to get behind it. Instead, he's dancing around gathering information to make the decision with the least amount of risk.  MAN UP.  BE AGGRESSIVE.

Get after after Harbaugh on 11/30
Get after Miles on 01/02
Get after Hoke hard now
Say "this is who we want" and let that guy deal with the media & the speculation

By playing it "close to the chest", we look like horses's you-know-whats. I'm sick of this. I feel like I'm taking crazy pills and I'm the only one that looks at this realisticly. Whomever we bring in now is gonna be behind the 8 ball, just like RRod. The 2011 class is toast.  

Now, Hoke comes in. Denard transfers, because Hoke won't run the spread.
Next year is what, 7-5?
2012 is brutal & you'll have a freshman QB, 6-6?
So in 2013, he'd better go 10-2. 13-11 (6-10 Big Ten) going into year 3 ... 

It was a mistake with HOW they hired Rich Rod.
It was a bigger mistake not to make a decision after the OSU game.
It was the biggest mistake to fire him after waiting 7 weeks

The last two are on Brandon