It's been a rough year for Michigan Men. After an underwhelming 7-6 record in 2013, the 2014 season has been even worse. The team is 3-4 and could face yet another year of being demoralized by former "little brother" Michigan State on Saturday. The discontent is growing, as documented by Spencer Hall in his visit to Ann Arbor, and many fans have called for the firings of coach Brady Hoke and athletic director Dave Brandon.

Over the past year, one Michigan Man repeatedly sat down at his computer late at night to email Brandon his thoughts. The late-night correspondence started off cordial, until our sad fan realized that the athletic director at his proud university was no longer going to email him back. As the losses mounted, the frustration grew, and his hope for the program diminished.

Here are this man's unedited thoughts, via an open records request.

Nov. 29, 2013 at 3:03 AM

To Dave Brandon, My next door neighbor was (redacted). I grew up in the shadow of Michigan athletics. As a youngster, I used to play catch in the stands in Michigan stadium when the stadium end zones were empty of spectators! I was there for the BIG victory over OSU in 1969. I attended u of m from 1976 to 1980. I AM a Michigan fan and alumnus. So, I hope you can even start to imagine my discomfort when you state brady hoke is your coach for now and into the immediate future. It is evident to all but the hopelessly stupid that the michigan football program is regressing every year under Coach Hoke's guidance (or lack thereof). Stay the course and I fear you will eventually return to the days wherein kids can play catch in your end zones bleachers! Mark my words. Many of us look past your recent OSU record and shake our heads in disgust at your recent msu record. Michigan football and ATTENDANCE sucked until the early seventies. It can again. Keep this up and you will see a return to michigan football obsolescence. I cannot believe you are risking the "michigan brand" money machine In such a cavalier manner. Perhaps the new president will share a similar enlightened opinion

Dec. 29, 2013 at 2:11 AM

Since I was a Michigan student I have defended the school, its faculty, its athletic department and its students against the charges of arrogance. No more. It was arrogant of you not to respond to my earlier email. It is arrogant of you to assume Michigan football fans will come to accept an inferior product. I have seen nothing but further regression under the regime of brady hoke yet you continue to market an "elite" product and to charge exorbitant ticket prices. Your head coach is clueless. Your assistant coaches are overpaid lackeys. Your players are talented underachievers based upon the ineptitude of their coaches. If you were to have taken the time from your lofty perch to look at your fans at tonight's bowl game, you might have the beginnings of a something gnawing at your guts. Let me identify it for you. It's called "disillusionment!"

July 19, 2014 at 2:39 AM

I have sent six emails to Dave Brandon with no replies. What a bunch of arrogant asses! Wait, that is what MSU and the rest of the state of Michigan accused you of! Seems like the Michigan athletic department is trending true to form! Anyways, FIREWORKS? Really? I hear the pitter patter of panic starting to resonate in the hallowed halls of Michigan stadium. Looks like everything I predicted below has come to pass! Ticket sales down? What a surprise! Who wants to pay exorbitant prices for an extremely inferior product? It seems don Canham and I have a lot more in common than Brandon and Canham have. Perhaps the new president should look at my resume. Vis a vis Michigan football, I can't do ANY WORSE!

July 20, 2014 at 2:56 AM

I see all the recent tv ads for michigan football tickets. Am I prescient or what? See below! Canham and schembechler are rolling over in their graves. Dave Brandon is a total loser. Time to move the issue up to your new president.

Sept. 7, 2014 at 3:58 AM

Brandon, you are a cowardly, gutless arrogant ass! If it isn't broken, you need to break it? What a messed up statement on your part. You need to alienate the students? You need to state unswerving allegiance to a bumbling, stumbling Fred flinstone coach because your coach search at the time to replace Rodriguez was an abysmal failure? You hired a second or third tier coach because you, yes you, screwed up and Hoke was all that was available. How is that unswerving arrogance working for you now? Just because you could turn a profit on the backs of the American working class in your former life, you arrogant prick, it doesn't mean you have any sports acumen vis a vis successfully running an athletic program. And your arrogance in not responding to your customers - see below- astounds me. The university of michigan I knew as a student and fan is apparently now being run by businessmen incompetently pretending to be academics and sportsmen. Bah. Why waste my energy with a university that is obviously no longer interested in my opinion as a valued alumnus? Stop sending me any correspondence regarding financial contributions or athletic ticket purchases. I no longer care.

★★★

"I no longer care." Sent at 4:00 in the morning. The perfect representation of the current state of Michigan fandom.