He shared stories with me when I was in Michigan about how in his teenager, he kept personal statistics regarding his batting percentage in baseball, his scoring rate in basketball and Madden 23 coins touchdowns football. He knew them by heart. Few peers wanted to play with preteen Harbaugh because of his intense enthusiasm and his self-confidence. It was at Michigan that Harbaugh got the essence of Schembechler's principal mantra: TEAM.

If you create Jim Harbaugh feel unappreciated, uncomfortable, unworthy, he is not the type of person who will hang around.

He made it clear in his introduction news conference about hiring that he'll be selling something the candidate "believes in to the core." Selling something he believes in as well as "you know your name." This won't be an issue, he said. He also spoke about relationships. Particularly renewing meaningful, spirited ones in Michigan and within Ann Arbor.

And what he didn't say said a lot: that it was his last game with the 49ers with these kinds of relationships broken, damaged and ripped too badly to fix.

He is not content with what he has done in his coaching. That's yesterday's success. He will push it all forward. He will press hard.

Jim Harbaugh came back to Michigan to fix, restore what was damaged. To re-emphasize what really matters to him. To find peace. Standing on shoulders many men and to be in a where he feels he has respect. To restore what Schembechler created. To pay back. To be a good honoree. to bring happiness over hurt.Spikes is the latest key Patriot defender to land on injured reserve. New England was already with Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly and Jerod Mayo. Spikes was third in the team's tackles. Mike Reiss of ESPN called Spikes New England's "most physical downhill tackler" in linebackers.

New England's defense was signifcantly better during the season that Spikes was in the field according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Brandon Spikes played in 669 of the NE's def snaps during the season. NE allowed a 44.1 QBR with him on the field, as opposed to 59.7 without him.

In the wake of Spikes and Mayo now out, New England's linebacker depth will be further tested. Dane Fletcher will likely replace Spikes and will join Jamie Collins and Madden 23 ltds quicksell Dont'a Hightower in the line-up.