re: The only fuel left in the "Miles to Michigan" gossip tank is

a big name coach is not always the answer okie. michigan is trying to save face an avoid more embarassment. the media is the trying force behind this cluster frick. espn has turned into tabloid media and they need to be called out for the piss poor sports journalism in regards to this story

If they were going to hire an interim coach to keep the seat warm for Miles, they could have done that weeks ago and avoided all of the media scrutiny.
______________________________________________

You forget that Carr was "in control" of the process a couple of weeks ago...much has changed since then....he and Martin both are on the hot seat for F**King up this whole coach-searching operation by trying to eliminate Miles with the early retirement announcement....all the more reason why UM might go that route now. They damn sure don't like to pay "big-time coach" salaries or they'd have people beating their door down right now!

quote:

---

If Lester doesn't leave now, he isn't going anywhere for the next 5-8 years.

---

Yeah. Depending on how old his kids are and considering Michigan's coaching turnover average this would seem to be a little more of a reasonable proposiion than 1 or 2 years.

I can see the recruiting process now ...

Interim Coach: Mr. and Mrs. Parent, I just want you to know that if your son comes to play for me at Michigan, I'll keep a good eye on him for you. Er, for a year or two that is.

Parents: Well, we were looking for a little more stability than that.

Interim Coach: Well, I'm really just keeping the seat warm. Here, let me get Les Miles on the phone. He's out recruiting for LSU but he'll be here by the time your boy finishes his eligibility.

My point is not that I believe Miles is going to leave in 2009 -or- that it's in Michigan's best interest to hire an "interim coach"....they certainly wouldn't label the coach as such....more likely, they will hire the best candidate that's available at the price they're willing to pay (which we all understand to be under-market as compared to other big-time programs)....my reference to Saban or Spurrier was only to point out that Michigan won't get those types of big names without a long-term agreement and paying big bucks....not so with a lesser stature coach in the mold of Lloyd Carr. That type of coach will be dispensible if he doesn't perform to high Michigan standards...which leaves a lot of room for someone like Miles to walk through the door in a couple of years...I hope it doesn't happen, but it could!

Bob Davie?

Are you kidding? Michigan doesn't think that much of Miles that they would actually hire an "interim" coach for a year or two while waiting for him to break free from LSU. That's pretty funny.

They will hire who they think will be a great coach and someone who seems to be committed to the long term - THat goes for every school. You are right in that Miles has only verbally committed to being the coach at LSU next year, and speculation about him going somewhere will probably still be there but nowhere to the extent it was with Michigan.

Now if the new Michigan hire is a bust and they let him go after 2 or 3 years then and Miles is still here and still racking up wins, then yes his name will re-surface in the Michigan speculation circles. But as soon as Michigan hires someone this year the Miles to Michigan talk will die for at least a couple of years. I really don't think as long as he's at LSU and the Michigan job is filled there won't be too much speculation about him going anywhere. Where would he want to go? Now if the wins begin to wane over the next couple of years, you can bet the rumors of him being fired will be dogging him even if he wins the NC this year. I'd predict that if we have 5 or 6 losses in each of the next 2 seasons, he'll be on the perverbial "hotseat".