Jim Harbaugh ahead of the curve again. This is cool.

So last year they held part if their spring practice down in Florida. In response the NCAA made a rule that you can't travel around the U.S. and hold practices. So this year Harbaugh is taking his team to Rome, Italy for part of spring practice.

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/ ... 17aaa.html

I do enjoy a good troll job.

Awesome. The guy is a dick but really is a good coach and he fits perfectly at the college level like Kelly and Saban. Both of who are dicks and both great college coaches also. Hmm.....

JSeahawks":199u3urg said:

So last year they held part if their spring practice down in Florida. In response the NCAA made a rule that you can't travel around the U.S. and hold practices. So this year Harbaugh is taking his team to Rome, Italy for part of spring practice.

http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/ ... 17aaa.html

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:2thumbs: So glad to be a Michigan fan. They lost a lot of major starters this year but I am hoping the recruits and depth keep them in the hunt for the long haul. GoBlue!!

Ask Richard Sherman and Doug Baldwin what they think of Harbaugh.

Edit: Actually, that looks like a great cultural experience for the kids. They are, after all, students. BUT, this bring up a larger concern re: NCAA, and that is what constitutes a financial advantage? Does a student athlete sign with Michigan because they get to go on an exotic foreign vacation? Do they sign with Oregon because a billionaire furnishes luxurious accommodations?

Financial advantage is an important issue and the NCAA needs to separate itself from external influence if it truly wants to be seen as an impartial governing body.

Good for him! Somebody needs to stick it to the NCAA. They run roughshod over teams and players as if they are the important ones, and not the students.

Harbaugh is infinitely more likable now that he's not a 49er.

Hasselbeck":zlgtfqpx said:

Harbaugh is infinitely more likable now that he's not a 49er.

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Yup, I like seeing him kick the NCAA in the nuts repeatedly.

Join Michigan and you can go to Rome for spring practices. Damn, that's some very creative recruiting tools right there.

Hasselbeck":1wq9a02a said:

Harbaugh is infinitely more likable now that he's not a 49er.

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And out of the Pac-12. I love Jim Harbaugh when he's not coaching in the same division of my favorite college and pro team.

Yeah but I think the NCAA put the rule in place because Harbaugh was inviting potential football prospects to those practices when he went to the south last year. Don't think this has anything to do with Jim "sticking it" to the NCAA unless Italy has all of a sudden become a pipeline to college football.

Hasselbeck":2nc19p83 said:

Harbaugh is infinitely more likable now that he's not a 49er.

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I completely agree! Hated him when he was with the 49ers and even Stanford, but now that he is no longer on the West Coast I really like him. Glad he was able to turn around Michigan and hopefully he will smash Urban Myer over at Ohio State every year.


He added the cool defining "college coach glasses" look. Kind of similar appearance to Woody Hayes who funnily enough formally coached at Harbarugh's biggest rival, The Ohio State.

I am surprised this isn't considered an extra benefit since general students aren't going. Or do they get around that by including ball boys/girls on the trip?

Josea16":1l8kddqy said:

Awesome. The guy is a dick but really is a good coach and he fits perfectly at the college level like Kelly and Saban. Both of who are dicks and both great college coaches also. Hmm.....

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I love that he is battling the "establishment." I love that he is messing with the teams in the east. I hate the sec, acc, and big ten. Saban and Meyers are dicks. I am tired of their domination. I think it is hilarious. Saban is a sociopath, and harbaugh can make him squirm.

The weird thing is, I hated him as a 9ers coach, but I miss him there now. That team brought out the best in our Hawks.

seahawkfreak":r1h30js2 said:

Yeah but I think the NCAA put the rule in place because Harbaugh was inviting potential football prospects to those practices when he went to the south last year. Don't think this has anything to do with Jim "sticking it" to the NCAA unless Italy has all of a sudden become a pipeline to college football.

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This is kinda amusing. A friend of mine is a recruiter now for a college and he takes vacations over seas at least to one country 4 times a year.