ESPN Video: Harbaugh not amused with Colin Cowherd's questions

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Was just going to post this. To be fair to Cowherd, Harbaugh was giving him virtually nothing to work with. I would have killed the interview too.

Jim Harbaugh ladies and gentlemen. How about a round of applause.

"What are you wearing Jim from Michigan? Ahhhh......khakis".

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Be careful Bleed, people might start mistaking this forum for a Harbaugh forum...
 

They're both weirdos. Cowherd appears to be on speed and Harbaugh is an uncooperative prick. I'm sure Urban Meyer would be a much better interview b/c he loves to talk about himself.
 

KillerGopherFan said:
They're both weirdos. Cowherd appears to be on speed and Harbaugh is an uncooperative prick. I'm sure Urban Meyer would be a much better interview b/c he loves to talk about himself.
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Cowherd should have went with Bye vs Buy, sounded like Harbaugh was about to get pretty fired up about that comment.
 


Because of the lack of original sports programming here in Sioux Falls I usually listen to Cowherd. He's a good interviewer, but Harbaugh is an a$$hat and really threw Colin off his game.

An aside, I'm starting to think that Harbaugh could turn into a disaster for Michigan. He's just freakin' weird and seems unfocused on actual football.
 

I watched the clip and I agree that Harbaugh acts like a goof ball on this interview and in the process it makes Michigan look bad. Someone higher up the food chain than "coach" is not happy with this I am sure. There is a Train Wreck coming up at Michigan.
 

KillerGopherFan said:
They're both weirdos. Cowherd appears to be on speed and Harbaugh is an uncooperative prick. I'm sure Urban Meyer would be a much better interview b/c he loves to talk about himself.
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So if you don't talk enough you are uncooperative and a prick yet if you talk too much you are full of yourself and cocky?
 

The last line by Cowherd was a real classic. "I've been in the business ten years folks and that was a clunker"
Now that is funny right there!
 



JoeDirt said:
n aside, I'm starting to think that Harbaugh could turn into a disaster for Michigan. He's just freakin' weird seems unfocused on actual football.
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oldauggie said:
There is a Train Wreck coming up at Michigan.
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I have been saying the same thing. Jimmy fits the profile of someone who believes all they hear about themselves and who's ego has gotten so big that they are destined to fall and fail. I can warn you both, however, that is not a popular opinion here on GH.
 

ive watched/listen to three of these harbaugh interviews and they are all the same. He doesnt really give an inch and acts like he doesnt understand half the questions. Cowherd probably should show a little more professional composure at the end there. Dont thinik it helps to berate your guests, even if they do stink.
 

Cowherd and Harbaugh...is it possible to have two bigger blowhards on the phone at the same time?
 

I have been hearing about this interview all day, and I waited until now to finally hear it, and...nothing. It's just nothing. Just two guys whose personalities didn't mesh. No conflict, no fire - it just sounded like Cowherd drank Harbaugh's coffee.
 



Zeppelin Gopher said:
Cowherd and Harbaugh...is it possible to have two bigger blowhards on the phone at the same time?
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cowherd acts like he dont care if he gets the pink slip. makes him interesting. harbaugh is being difficult in the interview
 

I give Cowherd credit for being honest. And it was Harbaugh who got it started by saying it seemed like he was getting a bunch of random questions thrown at him. There had to be random, rapid-fire questions because Harbaugh wouldn't engage in conversation. He indicated to Cowherd that it seemed odd and Cowherd said he was doing his best -- all the while saying how much he loves Harbaugh and wants him to sell his program. He was trying.

And I love the end: "This just isn't working."
 


1) Is this just his schtick? That he's wacky, weird and aloof.
2) Is he a total idiot? "Sell your program, I'm a 4.3. receiver"...."You are?"
3) Was he under the influence of drugs or alcohol?
4) Is he mentally stable?
 

Harbaugh was doing ok in the interview and I don't think he was being a jerk. He is just not very articulate or a naturally gabby guy. No matter how many football games he wins in his career Harbaugh will never be a TV game analyst. A lot of coaches can't do that job. How do you guys think Bud Grant would have handled those questions? I think Bud wouldn't have been much different than Harbaugh. This is the first time i have ever listed to Cowherd. The interview questions were terrible and he was a first rate jerk to Harbaugh. This will be the last time I ever listen to him.

Bad interviews are almost always the result of bad interviewers who can't read people very well and ask poor questions. It was obvious after the second or third question that Harbaugh is not comfortable giving long and detailed answers to open ended questions. Many people I know are just like him. If you want more specific information from them then you need to ask more specific and understandable questions.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
Harbaugh was doing ok in the interview and I don't think he was being a jerk. He is just not a very articulate or a naturally gabby guy. How do you guys think Bud Grant would have handled those questions? I think Bud wouldn't have been much different than Harbaugh. This is the first time i have ever listed to Cowherd. The interview questions were terrible and he was a first rate jerk to Harbaugh. This will be the last time I ever listen to him.

Bad interviews are almost always the result of bad interviewers who can't read people very well and ask poor questions. It was obvious after the second or third question that Harbaugh is not comfortable giving long and detailed answers to open ended questions. Many people I know are just like him. If you want more specific information from them then you need to ask more specific and understandable questions.
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Bs

You don't sign up to be interviewed by Cowhard if you're going to give those short answers. Harbaugh should just not interview, that's fine, he doesn't have to do it. But to come on the first question with a "ask my wife or my mom".... Come on.

****** bag. All will be forgotten when he wins a bunch, and he will, because guys that are bad interviews can be fantastic coaches.
 

Winasota Gopher said:
Bs

You don't sign up to be interviewed by Cowhard if you're going to give those short answers. Harbaugh should just not interview, that's fine, he doesn't have to do it. But to come on the first question with a "ask my wife or my mom".... Come on.

****** bag. All will be forgotten when he wins a bunch, and he will, because guys that are bad interviews can be fantastic coaches.
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Almost every question Cowherd asked was sh*tty. If Bob Costas had done that interview they probably would still be talking and we would know a lot more about Harbaugh then we ever knew and possibly we would like him a lot better than we ever did.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
Almost every question Cowherd asked was sh*tty. If Bob Costas had done that interview they probably would still be talking and we would know a lot more about Harbaugh then we ever knew and possibly we would like him a lot better than we ever did.
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Was Jim surprised it wasn't Costas conducting the interview? This wasn't a post game surprise. This was scheduled. Jim can say no, he knew who was interviewing him.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
Almost every question Cowherd asked was sh*tty. If Bob Costas had done that interview they probably would still be talking and we would know a lot more about Harbaugh then we ever knew and possibly we would like him a lot better than we ever did.
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Its funny how people perceive the same interview differently. I thought Cowherd did all he could to get something out of Harbaugh, but there was no give or take. Cowherd probably should not have melted down like he did at the end, but really can't blame him.
 

I'm not a cowherd fan by any means, but I'm on his side here. That was awkward from the beginning and it was not Colin's fault. He wasn't probing. He wasn't asking ridiculous questions, and he was pretty patient up until Harbaugh decided to take a jab at him.

Not sure why there is an argument about who was in the wrong. It's pretty black and white. Harbaugh decided to pull a mid game Popovich during an interview that he voluntarily agreed to.
 

mnsportsgeek said:
I'm not a cowherd fan by any means, but I'm on his side here. That was awkward from the beginning and it was not Colin's fault. He wasn't probing. He wasn't asking ridiculous questions, and he was pretty patient up until Harbaugh decided to take a jab at him.

Not sure why there is an argument about who was in the wrong. It's pretty black and white. Harbaugh decided to pull a mid game Popovich during an interview that he voluntarily agreed to.
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I thought he asked stupid questions. ("Where were you when you made the decision?") WHO CARES??? (Is the Big Ten a buy?") SAY WHAT?

I agree, he sounded high. Granted. Harbaugh is a prick and could have handled these stupid questions with more grace.
 

Halsey Hall said:
I thought he asked stupid questions. ("Where were you when you made the decision?") WHO CARES??? (Is the Big Ten a buy?") SAY WHAT?

I agree, he sounded high. Granted. Harbaugh is a prick and could have handled these stupid questions with more grace.
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I mean, what else is he supposed to do? He had to throw out a question every five seconds because Harbaugh wasn't creating any dialogue. Is Cowherd gonna be the next Bob Costas? Certainly not, but Jim Harbaugh isn't Vince Lombardi either. The questions would have sounded much less stupid if Harbaugh actually answered them. In fact, it may have created some interesting discussion instead of the awkward small talk that we all had the privilege of witnessing.
 

UpnorthGo4 said:
Almost every question Cowherd asked was sh*tty. If Bob Costas had done that interview they probably would still be talking and we would know a lot more about Harbaugh then we ever knew and possibly we would like him a lot better than we ever did.
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I completely, completely disagree. Three questions off the top of my head that I remember:

1."Is there any time in the day that you're not intense?"
2. "You've been a head coach in the college and the pros. How is a day as one different from a day as another?"
3. "Your opening game is against Utah. When do you start putting together a game plan?"

I want to know the answers to all these questions. Even the question about whether the Big Ten is a buy, which Harbaugh may (or may not) have understood, was a good one. The Big Ten has been sneered at for years, and if one of the flagship programs thinks the conference is on the rise, well, then that's newsworthy.

Cowherd is good at what he does. Harbaugh came across as a petulant child.
 

Urbandale said:
I completely, completely disagree. Three questions off the top of my head that I remember:

1."Is there any time in the day that you're not intense?"
2. "You've been a head coach in the college and the pros. How is a day as one different from a day as another?"
3. "Your opening game is against Utah. When do you start putting together a game plan?"

I want to know the answers to all these questions. Even the question about whether the Big Ten is a buy, which Harbaugh may (or may not) have understood, was a good one. The Big Ten has been sneered at for years, and if one of the flagship programs thinks the conference is on the rise, well, then that's newsworthy.

Cowherd is good at what he does. Harbaugh came across as a petulant child.
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+1

The questions were absolutely fine and he did the best he could. I don't think there any different than when he has other coaches come one. I was reading a Michigan forum and they said they were glad he didn't fall for his "bait." Umm, what bait? Those were absolutely standard interview questions. Now I don't think he was trying to be a prick or act like Cowherd wasn't worth his time. Thats just his personality. I remember on singing day, Harbaugh did an interview and they asked what type of players he likes to recruit and he simply said something along the lines of "good players." When Kill gets asked the same question he always says length and speed and when Urban was once asked the question, he said guys that are so competitive they hate to lose in even checkers. He didn't have a ton to say at his press conference or the first day of spring practice either.
 

It sounded to me like Harbaugh was just exhausted and simply was having a hard time focusing on Cowherd's questions. I have to admit the whole "buy vs bye" dialogue was mostly due to Cowherd wording his question poorly. I don't blame Harbaugh for asking what Cowherd was talking about.

Harbaugh sounded tired. Nothing much more to say.
 

IMO, a talk show interviewer needs to adjust his approach to the style of the interviewee. Cowherd's one size fits all style was a major error in his judgement. Fail Cowherd.

A low key approach to the interview, seeking common ground would have been a much better approach. Should have taken a slow pace approach, helping us understand Jim's MI history as a student and FB player, and his love for the the university. Just a bad approach and pace by cowherd.
 

I don't think the folks in East Lansing and State College should be too anxious about a resurgent Big Blue.
 

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