2008 TSUN News

[ScarletStorms]

The sleaze in here is unreal. A kid has three concusions because he is pressured back quickly from injury and forced to play in a gimmiky system, take big hits and have no blocking to speak of. After the third concusion the coach says damaged good, let him go. It's one thing to think sour grapes. It's another thing to say them. How bout some respect and say "Sam want to be closer to home" or "He is making a tough personal choice he feels is best for him. We wish the best for him" This is kind of like breaking up with your girlfriend you got pregnate and saying it is because she is fat. What a dick.

He dropped little comments about Mcguffie's health in his statement but never explicitly said that he was transferring because of his health or that he was no longer healthy enough to play. I think the UM fans are supposed to infer that he is transferring for health reasons because the comments were entirely unrelated to the transferring unless health indeed was the culprit. I think the rest of the world sees RR rambling about Mcguffie's health without ever committing to it as the reason because at this point in his tenure at UM he has just about used up all of the considerable benefit of the doubt he has been awarded.

So to the above, I don't think he ever intended his statement to sound as though he was throwing the kid under a bus. He was just trying to divert attention away from the ever growing pile of embarrassment that has been his legacy at UM. It will be interesting to see what Mcguffie himself has to say as well as what delusional excuse the vulvarines muster if he does decide to speak out against the program and its incompetencies.

On a side note. I think OSU should extend our willingness to accept Mcguffie as a transfer just to see the response it would incite.

 

[HailToMichigan]

The sleaze in here is unreal. A kid has three concusions because he is pressured back quickly from injury and forced to play in a gimmiky system, take big hits and have no blocking to speak of. After the third concusion the coach says damaged good, let him go. It's one thing to think sour grapes. It's another thing to say them. How bout some respect and say "Sam want to be closer to home" or "He is making a tough personal choice he feels is best for him. We wish the best for him" This is kind of like breaking up with your girlfriend you got pregnate and saying it is because she is fat. What a dick.

Ridiculous. How about you read this article first.

On a side note. I think OSU should extend our willingness to accept Mcguffie as a transfer just to see the response it would incite.

Ohio is not in Texas, therefore the response would be peals of laughter from Michigan fans and "thanks but no thanks" from McGuffie. He's going home.

 

[jwinslow]

Scout $

12/14

OT Taylor Lewan has committed to Michigan.

Quality pickup for RR.

 

[ScarletStorms]

Ridiculous. How about you read this article first.

Ohio is not in Texas, therefore the response would be peals of laughter from Michigan fans and "thanks but no thanks" from McGuffie. He's going home.

I think there are far more visible and likely reasons for his transfer than the excuses that your coaches are peddling. Ultimately risking your career to move back home with your ailing family isn't a decision that most people would make. I don't presume to know or understand Mcguffie's intentions but with so much on the line and so little he can actually do to help at home you would think that he would take care of those things that he has control over first and foremost. And if the need is so pressing why shouldn't his family relocate so that he can continue to pursue this opportunity.

No, far more likely is that it was a series of compounding woes that have stricken him in his year away from home. Failing so profoundly at a place that success is taken for granted can be hard on any team. Especially one that was never united to begin with. I will always remember fondly your players screaming at your coaching staff for their incompetencies while the buckeyes ran up the biggest margin of victory in a rivalry over 100 years old. No, it is difficult to work your way through the kind of problems that Mcguffie has had to endure while surrounded by a program that is decaying morally.

Realistically, what options did the boy have? He wanted to see his commitment through. He wanted to honor his word and stand loyal to a system that can't even conceive of those notions. But when faced with his personal anguish and the promise of another season in which the wolverines attempt to redefine failure with himself at a star position you can understand that he decided to pack it in and return home. Home to where he won't have to desperately cling to his identity while the degenerate leadership that reigns in Michigan ate away at his values and happiness. Even if it meant to Mcguffie risking a pro career in a game that he obviously loves he could stand it no longer.

And the humble person that he is, Mcguffie chose against taking a parting shot at the haunted institution that caused him such grief. And RR said his final goodbyes in a statement that created speculation over Mcguffie's health and ability to continue playing, even if he only did so ignorantly while trying to divert attention from the casualties that he has collected in such a remarkably short time.

I can't imagine what anyone would have to be laughing about in Ann Arbor...

 

[HailToMichigan]

I think there are far more visible and likely reasons for his transfer than the excuses that your coaches are peddling. Ultimately risking your career to move back home with your ailing family isn't a decision that most people would make. I don't presume to know or understand Mcguffie's intentions but with so much on the line and so little he can actually do to help at home you would think that he would take care of those things that he has control over first and foremost. And if the need is so pressing why shouldn't his family relocate so that he can continue to pursue this opportunity.

No, far more likely is that it was a series of compounding woes that have stricken him in his year away from home. Failing so profoundly at a place that success is taken for granted can be hard on any team. Especially one that was never united to begin with. I will always remember fondly your players screaming at your coaching staff for their incompetencies while the buckeyes ran up the biggest margin of victory in a rivalry over 100 years old. No, it is difficult to work your way through the kind of problems that Mcguffie has had to endure while surrounded by a program that is decaying morally.

Realistically, what options did the boy have? He wanted to see his commitment through. He wanted to honor his word and stand loyal to a system that can't even conceive of those notions. But when faced with his personal anguish and the promise of another season in which the wolverines attempt to redefine failure with himself at a star position you can understand that he decided to pack it in and return home. Home to where he won't have to desperately cling to his identity while the degenerate leadership that reigns in Michigan ate away at his values and happiness. Even if it meant to Mcguffie risking a pro career in a game that he obviously loves he could stand it no longer.

And the humble person that he is, Mcguffie chose against taking a parting shot at the haunted institution that caused him such grief. And RR said his final goodbyes in a statement that created speculation over Mcguffie's health and ability to continue playing, even if he only did so ignorantly while trying to divert attention from the casualties that he has collected in such a remarkably short time.

I can't imagine what anyone would have to be laughing about in Ann Arbor...

Congrats....you've just set the record for "most unfounded opinions in one post." I mean, where do I begin?

- Claiming the family issues McGuffie's been having are nothing more than "excuses peddled by the coaching staff"? Real understanding of you.
- "Why shouldn't his family relocate?" [sarcasm]Oh, that's an excellent suggestion. Brilliant.[/sarcasm] You're certainly a fountain of bright ideas. Let's see, either the whole family can uproot itself, or Sam can move back home.
- How the hell do you know how RR "said his final goodbyes?" Because he made a statement to the press? If you really think speaking to the press is RR's way of talking directly to Sam McGuffie, then congrats, you've joined brutus2002 in the making-shit-up Hall of Fame.

Between your suggestion that McGuffie's family move to Michigan and your applause for him for not taking a parting shot, one might even think you disapproved of what Justin Boren did. I mean, his dad could have run his snowplow business in Michigan, right? But I'll bet that zoomed over your head like most everything else.

I can't imagine what anyone would have to be laughing about in Ann Arbor...

Your post, for starters. I find it hilarious, but then I don't live in Ann Arbor.

 

[Sportsbuck28]

- "Why shouldn't his family relocate?" [sarcasm]Oh, that's an excellent suggestion. Brilliant.[/sarcasm]

Not trying to jump into this, but didn't his immediate family move to Ann Arbor?

 

[OCBucksFan]

Why must we discuss things of this nature? Can't we just rejoice in some of the misery over the past couple years. The loss to App state, the fact that Henne and Hart never beat the Bucks, the fact that they hired a mercenary with hair plugs, or the 3-9 season, it's the holiday season, let the holiday spirit warm you.

 

[billmac91]

Ridiculous. How about you read this article first.

Ohio is not in Texas, therefore the response would be peals of laughter from Michigan fans and "thanks but no thanks" from McGuffie. He's going home.

The article linked, showed a RB Coach who handled the situation perfectly. He gave Sam credit for the time put in at UM, and taking care of family issues first. He never threw in .02 regarding his concussion history. Rich Rod should take notes for future situations. There was no need to bring up anything about Sam's concussion history as they parted ways. It absolutely comes off as a coach covering his ass regarding a former big-time recruit now leaving the program.

He might as well of said "Sam is leaving UM, but he wasn't going to play next year anyways because of concussions. So there's no need to worry about losing him, we wouldn't of had his services anyways."

Rich Rod just has zero understanding of taking the high road. That or he is just incompetent and doesn't understand the consequences to the things he says.

 

[HailToMichigan]

Not trying to jump into this, but didn't his immediate family move to Ann Arbor?

No. Mom and dad came up for games and such. Family's all in Texas though. If they did move (which I doubt, because it'd probably have gone a long way toward fixing the homesickness he's had all year) I've never heard of it.

 

[osugrad21]

No. Mom and dad came up for games and such. Family's all in Texas though. If they did move (which I doubt, because it'd probably have gone a long way toward fixing the homesickness he's had all year) I've never heard of it.

So your opinion is homesickness is the only reason for this transfer?

 

[HailToMichigan]

So your opinion is homesickness is the only reason for this transfer?

No, my opinion is Fred Jackson is telling the truth and there are things going on at home that McGuffie felt it wasn't right to be away from. And the mentions of homesickness that were popping up occasionally this season lend credence to that.

Why must we discuss things of this nature? Can't we just rejoice in some of the misery over the past couple years. The loss to App state, the fact that Henne and Hart never beat the Bucks, the fact that they hired a mercenary with hair plugs, or the 3-9 season, it's the holiday season, let the holiday spirit warm you.

Bah humbug.

 

[osugrad21]

No [strike], my opinion is Fred Jackson is telling the truth and there are things going on at home that McGuffie felt it wasn't right to be away from. And the mentions of homesickness that were popping up occasionally this season lend credence to that.[/strike]

That was all you needed to say.

 

[pokey]

He might as well of said "Sam is leaving UM, but he wasn't going to play next year anyways because of concussions. So there's no need to worry about losing him, we wouldn't of had his services anyways."

That is the very good summary of the subtext of what Rich Rod said. Even though I don't think he did it intentionally, it is inexcusable for a coach not to be more aware of how his words expose his hidden feelings about players deserting a sinking ship. RR's words show that despite his claims of having perspective, that he is actually crumbling under the pressure of his crumbling program.

 

[ScarletStorms]

Before I begin my response, understand that this is going to be dripping with condescension. That is what happens when I have to clarify each and every point of my response because you were not capable of showing me where my opinions were "unfounded" as you claim, rather you reduced the debate into tick and tack wordplay.

Congrats....you've just set the record for "most unfounded opinions in one post." I mean, where do I begin?

- Claiming the family issues McGuffie's been having are nothing more than "excuses peddled by the coaching staff"? Real understanding of you.

I sympathize with Mcguffie just as any human being would. Note that so that I won't have to repeat myself again. However your coaching staff has used the situation as an E-X-C-U-S-E (note the context of the term please) for his transfer.

- "Why shouldn't his family relocate?" [sarcasm]Oh, that's an excellent suggestion. Brilliant.[/sarcasm] You're certainly a fountain of bright ideas. Let's see, either the whole family can uproot itself, or Sam can move back home.

I don't fully understand why I need to repeat the perfectly plausible and logical reason that his family would move to Michigan but here it is for the wolverine fans in the audience. (Note that the terms wolverine fan and borderline illiterate will be used interchangeably from this point on). Mcguffie came to Michigan to pursue a pro career. This opportunity is not something that each and every person is presented with. Transferring is a serious risk to his pro ambitions. Now Im not going to pretend that I know who his family are but it seems unlikely to me that any of them have an opportunity as grand as this on the table. So if the need were indeed pressing, I don't see why the family would not consider moving to Ann Arbor for a few years. But as I have already made clear, I don't think he is transferring from Michigan simply for family issues.

- How the hell do you know how RR "said his final goodbyes?" Because he made a statement to the press? If you really think speaking to the press is RR's way of talking directly to Sam McGuffie, then congrats, you've joined brutus2002 in the making-[censored]-up Hall of Fame.

Do I honestly need to explain to you that I did not literally mean that that was RR's goodbye statement to Mcguffie? No really? Or were you simply grasping at straws? I honestly don't know at this point. This requires the use of your frontal lobe so don't forget to stretch before reading any further. Final goodbye was meant to mean the final blunder in a long series of failures on RR's part that have plagued Mcguffie's short career. You see what I did there? A little abstract thought.

Between your suggestion that McGuffie's family move to Michigan and your applause for him for not taking a parting shot, one might even think you disapproved of what Justin Boren did. I mean, his dad could have run his snowplow business in Michigan, right? But I'll bet that zoomed over your head like most everything else.

Mcguffie was entirely within his right to have taken a parting shot. That was the premise upon which I judged him to be humble. Do you disagree? Do you think that Mcguffie wasn't entirely within his right to have spoken out against RR? I would have done as Boren did. Which was entirely justified. In fact from a certain perspective you could say that it was his duty to have done his part to make sure that no other recruits fall into the same predicament.

Now Id appreciate a conceptual argument. Don't come back at me with wordplay because you are going to get more of the same.

 

[jwinslow]

No, my opinion is Fred Jackson is telling the truth and there are things going on at home that McGuffie felt it wasn't right to be away from. And the mentions of homesickness that were popping up occasionally this season lend credence to that.

was it homesickness that led to mcguffie pulling himself out of the game, and fred calling him out for it in the press?