On David Brandon...
University of Michigan president Mary Sue Coleman referred to David Brandon as "the ideal candidate" for athletic director. And there is little to dispute that.
Brandon does seem to be the perfect blend of Michigan’s tradition (he was a backup quarterback on the U-M football team when Bo Schembechler was the coach) with the new and very real world of intercollegiate athletics (he has vast business experience and been on the U-M Board of Regents).
Michigan does need to renew its ties to Bo. What you see on the football field just doesn’t look right - and the results speak for themselves.
Brandon did support the stadium expansion, which is beautiful. Also, it would be wise if the university continues to upgrade its basketball facilities.
The big question is where Brandon lies on the Rich Rodriguez issue. Undoubtedly, he will throw his support Rodriguez’s way publicly, but Rodriguez isn’t his horse in this race. He is that of Bill Martin’s - the outgoing AD.
Can’t imagine a former player of Bo’s would have a lot of patience, in the role of AD, with what is transpiring on the field in Ann Arbor lately.

On Jeff Backus...
I understood where Lions coach Jim Schwartz was coming from Monday with his praiseworthy comments about much-maligned left offensive tackle Jeff Backus. I do feel Backus has unfairly been presented as a scapegoat for the Lions’ woes down through the years, while handling a difficult situation as the consummate pro. Have said and written so many times.
But Schwartz took it too far when he used the word "outstanding" and inferred that Backus is a Pro Bowl-caliber player. It’s true - he is probably better than half the starting left tackles in the NFL these days. It’s also true that half of the starting left tackles are probably better than Backus.
That’s not an outstanding player. That is not a Pro Bowl-caliber player. That’s a player who is less of a weakness than most of his teammates on a 2-14 team.