
From satellite camps to coaching beefs to milk, chicken and the Pope: A timeline of Jim Harbaugh’s wild times at Michigan
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Tom VanHaaren, ESPN Staff WriterJan 24, 2024, 09:39 PM ET
Close- ESPN staff writer
- Joined ESPN in 2011
- Graduated from Central Michigan
In his time as Michigan‘s head coach, Jim Harbaugh created media frenzies, dustups with coaches, viral moments with recruits and everything in between.
Hired in late 2014 to replace Brady Hoke as the Wolverines’ coach, Harbaugh wasted no time once in Ann Arbor to ruffle feathers by poking at coaches for breaking rules and pushing the limits on what the NCAA would allow through satellite camps across the country.
He climbed trees, had sleepovers and made cakes for recruits to try to win them over. After three Big Ten titles, three College Football Playoff appearances and having delivered his alma mater its first national title since 1997, Harbaugh accepted the head coaching job with the Los Angeles Chargers, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Since he is departing the college football world, here is a look at some of his more memorable and viral moments after joining Michigan in 2014.
Feb. 7, 2015: Harbaugh had a commitment from ESPN 300 running back Mike Weber in the 2015 class, a top prospect out of Detroit Cass Tech. Weber decommitted from the Wolverines in the middle of the fourth quarter of the team’s loss to Maryland in the 2014 season.
Harbaugh fought to get Weber back in the class, but he ultimately signed with Ohio State. Weber said at the time that running backs coach Stan Drayton was a big part of his commitment, but the Buckeyes’ running backs coach left to take the same position with the Chicago Bears the day after Weber signed his national letter of intent with Ohio State.
Harbaugh took the opportunity to tweet about the situation.
Thought of the day – What a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive! – Sir Walter Scott
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) February 7, 2015
Weber stuck with Ohio State and played four seasons for the Buckeyes, before he was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2019 NFL draft.
March 3, 2015: Harbaugh had been known to be a fan of TV star Judge Judy, even attending a taping of her show with his father, Jack.
So, he, naturally, took to Twitter to congratulate Judge Judy on a contract extension.
Big Congrats to Judge Judy on signing her contract extension thru 2020 from a Devout Fan!
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) March 3, 2015
He has since played cards with the judge and has publicly talked about his admiration for her and the show.
“I’m a big fan of the ‘Judge Judy’ show,” Harbaugh told reporters at the 2013 NFL combine. “And when you lie in Judge Judy’s courtroom, it’s over, your credibility is completely lost, you stand no chance of winning that case. So, I learned that from her. It’s very powerful.”
March 14, 2015: The 2016 recruiting class is when Harbaugh really started to pull out all the stops on the recruiting trail. The staff put a ton of effort and creativity into recruiting ESPN 300 defensive lineman Boss Tagaloa, from California.
That included Harbaugh recreating a “promposal” poster that Tagaloa used to ask someone to prom. Harbaugh posed for a picture with a sign of his own that read, ‘UM will be sour without you, so let’s make it sweet. MICH?’
I usually don’t tweet things like this, so forgive me but this is just really too funny not to! haha #ImDone pic.twitter.com/Muk5ZcVYzd
— Boss Tagaloa (@_BT75) March 14, 2015
Tagaloa, however, ended up signing with UCLA.
April 24, 2015: The satellite camp idea was born. Harbaugh’s plan was to host football camps around the country, especially in SEC states.
As one of the first big ideas that Harbaugh implemented, it ruffled the feathers of many other college coaches. Then-Alabama coach Nick Saban called them, “ridiculous.” Harbaugh was accused of creating the camps as a recruiting tool, knowing that some conferences wouldn’t allow their programs to travel more than 50 miles to attend high school camps.
Harbaugh tweeted out an invitation to any other college coach that wanted to attend Michigan’s camp.
As a Collegial gesture we invite Coaches from Every College to be involved in our football camp. #Compete #ExposureU pic.twitter.com/lMM4ZiSLx2
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) April 24, 2015
To get around the 50-mile rule for some schools, Harbaugh included an invitation for those coaches to come as guest speakers at the camp.
Then-ACC commissioner John Swofford said at the time that his conference would be in favor of a rule that would prohibit satellite camps across the country.
“We just don’t feel like it’s a healthy part of the recruiting process in college football,” Swofford said at the time. “We may have to ultimately reconsider it if the rules continue to allow it, because we’re not going to put ourselves in a competitive disadvantage in recruiting if we were to feel like we were disadvantaged, but our primary purpose right now is to try to gain support for a national rule that prohibits it.”
The NCAA first banned satellite camps, which triggered one of Harbaugh’s first public criticisms of the NCAA, but then rescinded the ban and allowed the camps to continue.
June 4, 2015: The tour of satellite camps was announced in June and was called the Summer Swarm. It consisted of nine locations, starting in Indianapolis, traveling to Alabama, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas, California and eventually finishing back in Michigan. At the stops, Harbaugh would often wear jerseys representing local teams.
The tour spanned eight days and cost Michigan $211,948 in total, according to FOIA requests by MLive.
June 5, 2015: The Summer Swarm had already garnered attention from media and coaches, but Harbaugh wasted no time in increasing visibility by taking his shirt off while playing a pickup game at one of the camps.
Coach Harbaugh is still Ripped. . pic.twitter.com/kPYozwh6ou
— LC Davis (@lcddavis_King) June 5, 2015
He kept his signature khakis on while playing a game of shirts and skins.
“I was like a pig in slop,” Harbaugh said at the camp. “Man, you guys are in shape. You’ve got a heart for football, a face for football and I love being around you guys. That was a fun, fun day.”
June 25, 2015: Once the Swarm Tour was over, Harbaugh was back in Ann Arbor, entertaining recruits. He took tight end recruit Naseir Upshur and a few others out for ice cream, which Upshur documented on Twitter.
walking the Ann Arbor streets with coach Harbaugh 〽️〽️ pic.twitter.com/JcEfjI2my7
— PG (@NaseirUpshur) June 25, 2015
This was one of the more tame recruiting events, but given that Harbaugh was fresh off of his cross-country antics, it once again made news.
Aug. 12, 2015: Prior to the start of his first season as Michigan head coach, Harbaugh told reporters that after the wild tour, viral headlines and more publicity than Michigan had seen in quite some time, he and the team would be headed into submarine mode.
“We’re going into a submarine, and you won’t see us for a while,” Harbaugh said at the time. “You won’t hear from us, you won’t see us, we’ll be working. We’ll be in a bunker until we decide we’re not.”
No one from the team emerged from the submarine publicly until August 27, when a few players talked to the media. Offensive lineman Kyle Kalis was one of the first players to surface.
“It was definitely an experience,” Kalis said. “One that I’ll tell my kids about when I’m older. It’s definitely been a camp unlike any we’ve had before, and it’s going to pay dividends for us down the road.”
Nov., 2015: Harbaugh’s diet plan was revealed.
“I take a vitamin every day. It’s called a steak. I truly believe the No. 1 natural steroid is sleep, and the No. 2 natural steroid is milk, whole milk. Three would be water. Four would be steak. It goes with everything.”
Harbaugh, who once appeared in a “Got Milk” ad, later told Dan Patrick that he didn’t like having anything less than whole milk at the team’s dining hall.
“We refuse to drink the candy-ass skim milk or the 1 percent,” Harbaugh said. “We refuse. We won’t have any of that.”
In 2016, Harbaugh was photographed at an Ann Arbor steakhouse ready to enjoy both of his favorite foods.
Ruth’s Chris & Buzz Goebel!Sarah, me & Ann Arbor thank U for being such good sports! Plus the Steaks are A++, Mercy! pic.twitter.com/7CiB8ZMuXy
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) October 12, 2016
Nov. 18, 2015: Harbaugh had done the promposal recreation for recruits and members of his staff had written letters, but they moved on to baking birthday cakes for their prospects.
???????WHAT!?! S/o to UMich for the love 〽️〽️ pic.twitter.com/do96yg7Lvk
— J. Jones (@KingCaarlos) November 19, 2015
Jonathan Jones was only the recipient of a birthday cake tweet, so he didn’t actually get to eat the cake. It’s the thought that counts, though, and maybe Harbaugh and his staff enjoyed some of the cake in honor of Jones and his birthday.
They did it again for defensive lineman Jordan Elliott, making a cake that was supposed to look like the state of Texas as Elliott was from Texas. It worked only briefly, as Eliott committed to Michigan, but he eventually flipped to Texas.
January 14, 2016: Following a 10-3 season, this is when Harbaugh took the recruiting tactics to another level and had a sleepover at kicker Quinn Nordin’s house. The justification was that there was no limit as to how long an in-home visit could last.
So, in Harbaugh’s mind, if he stayed the night and stayed the rest of the day, it was all still one visit.
The news that the sleepover was happening spread quickly and Nordin’s neighbors decided to troll Harbaugh with a giant sign displaying the score of that year’s Michigan-Michigan State game which the Spartans had won.
I Respect the preparation! #GoBlue! pic.twitter.com/PVnAuTw8we
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) January 15, 2016
Harbaugh then went to Nordin’s high school in the morning and eventually rode in the car with him to Ann Arbor for a visit to Michigan.
January 19, 2016: Harbaugh then traveled to the West Coast to continue recruiting Tagaloa, who got the promposal re-creation. This time, Harbaugh was attending class with the defensive tackle at his high school.
Here is Jim Harbaugh attending class with Boss Tagaloa @_BT75 today. pic.twitter.com/hhc7Ggcwlq
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) January 19, 2016
January 19, 2016: He stayed in California to recruit cornerback David Long.
They were outside of Long’s house, playing catch with Long and his siblings. Before they knew it, Harbaugh was climbing a tree.
“My little sister asked if he could climb the tree,” Long said at the time. “He was just trying to fulfill her request. He ended up putting my little brother up instead, because he never actually made it up.”
There was a picture that circulated online showing Harbaugh climbing the tree while wearing his khaki pants.
January 20, 2016: The sleepover with Nordin was such a success that Harbaugh decided to do it again, this time with defensive end Connor Murphy.
It was a Netflix & Chill kind of night with @CoachJim4UM @umichfootball @espn #sleepover pic.twitter.com/yezUaYc6bK
— Connor Murphy (@CMurph_90) January 20, 2016
Harbaugh had history with the Murphy family, because he recruited Connor’s older brother Trent to Stanford. Harbaugh had babysat for Connor once when he was younger, but this time he was there recruiting the younger Murphy.
Feb. 24, 2016: The satellite camps had created quite the dust up among other coaches who weren’t happy about the decision to allow the camps to continue.
“(Michigan is) obviously trying to gain a competitive advantage, and obviously that’s their right,” Georgia coach Kirby Smart said at the time. “But I think the NCAA in due time will have to step in and keep it from getting out of hand.”
That comment seemed pretty tame, but Harbaugh took offense to it and tweeted back at Smart.
If the Georgia coach is implying any intent on our part to break rules, he is barking up the wrong tree.
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) February 24, 2016
Not much came from the exchange, but Harbaugh wasn’t done calling out opposing coaches.
March 3, 2016: Harbaugh and his staff were getting ready for their camp at IMG Academy in Florida, when then Arkansas coach Bret Bielema said he would attend, along with Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio.
Dantonio joked with Bielema that they could meet in Florida for lunch, which caused then-Tennessee coach Butch Jones to say he, too, would meet them for lunch in Florida.
That didn’t sit well with Harbaugh, who subtweeted Jones by calling him his Rocky Top colleague.
Suggestion to my Rocky Top colleague, rather than lunch in Florida you might spend your time and focus attending to your present team.
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) March 3, 2016
April 2, 2016: This begins the period when Harbaugh began going on stage with rappers. That included joining Lil Dicky, who was performing in Ann Arbor, for a rendition of the National Anthem.
An a〽️aizing rendition of the Nat’l Anthem featuring @lildickytweets & @CoachJim4UM. See on UofMichigan @Snapchat! pic.twitter.com/EXQFsa5ekF
— University of Michigan (@UMich) April 3, 2016
April 13, 2016: Just 11 days after going on stage with Lil Dicky, Harbaugh spent time with rap group Migos before their concert in Detroit.
The group asked Harbaugh to come on stage and dab with them, so they naturally had to ice him out with jewelry before he made his appearance.
Harbaugh did go on stage and was doused with water while dancing during the concert.
Jim Harbaugh got drenched with water onstage at Migos. pic.twitter.com/WnX0p0rJSA
— Rachel Premack (@rrpre) April 14, 2016
Harbaugh would later invite the group back to Ann Arbor.
May 31, 2016: Harbaugh is back to throwing shade at opposing coaches, this time at Saban.
“Amazing” to me- Alabama broke NCAA rules & now their HC is lecturing us on the possibility of rules being broken at camps. Truly “amazing.”
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) June 1, 2016
At SEC meetings, Saban had talked about despising satellite camps and said college football was moving towards the wild, wild west. His comments drew the ire of Harbaugh and resulted in his tweet.
Saban later fired back at Harbaugh through reporters.
“I don’t really care what he thinks or tweets,” Saban said. “I say what I think is best for college football and the players.”
June 9, 2016: Harbaugh had built a relationship with the staff and administration at Paramus Catholic high school through recruiting Paramus players Jabrill Peppers and Rashan Gary.
The plan was for the coaches to come to Paramus Catholic for a satellite camp, but the NCAA put a temporary ban on the camps at the time. That led to Harbaugh coming to the school and giving the commencement speech for the graduating class.
The coaches were recruiting linebacker Drew Singleton and a few other players from the team, so it gave Harbaugh a chance to still show up and have a presence at the school.
July 18, 2016: Harbaugh continued appearing on the rap scene, this time with artist Bailey, in a song called, “Who’s got it better than us?” That is, of course, Harbaugh’s signature saying.
July 14, 2016: Harbaugh ended the camp tour early, because there was fear of the Zeka virus in American Samoa, where a camp was supposed to be held. He instead stayed in California and took a trip to Disneyland, where he ran into talk show host Jerry Springer.
Great seeing @jerryspringer at Disneyland. Great guy! pic.twitter.com/Y4bv2GBu5S
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) July 14, 2016
Oct. 15, 2016: Recruiting in the San Francisco area, Harbaugh held the down marker on a chain gang at a high school game.
Look who our photographer @rayinaction ran into at the St. Mary’s / El Cerrito high school football game. (More video to come.) pic.twitter.com/LM7swaZ03R
— Mercury News (@mercnews) October 15, 2016
Nov. 12, 2016: And if we’re talking about random, Harbaugh went on a radio show and spoke about his admiration for Spongebob Squarepants.
“SpongeBob attacks each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.” – Jim Harbaugh
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) November 12, 2016
“I love his attitude,” Harbaugh said at the time. “He attacks each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind! I’ve kind of modeled my behavior after him. We all should. What a great employee he is. He’s a go-getter. He’s always got a bounce to his step. He’s got pizzazz. He puts his heart and soul into making those crabby patties. I think he’s awesome.”
April 26, 2017: At this time, Harbaugh started a tradition of taking the team to meaningful places during the offseason.
In 2017, he took the team to Italy, where Harbaugh had the chance to meet the Pope. Of course, upon meeting Pope Francis, Harbaugh gave him a Michigan helmet and Jordan shoes.
There is no word to describe the inner beauty that shines through the eyes of our Holy Father and his words… “Pray for me” pic.twitter.com/doUpeajuRp
— Coach Harbaugh (@CoachJim4UM) April 26, 2017
If you were hoping that the pontiff would make an appearance while wearing the Jordans, it hasn’t happened yet.
April 28, 2017: While in Italy, Harbaugh did an impression of Maximus from the movie “Gladiator.”
No words. pic.twitter.com/5V9AUiXkny
— Kyle Rowland (@KyleRowland) April 28, 2017
And sang some opera for reporters.
Harbaugh: Opera Singer pic.twitter.com/vhqLdYwXiU
— angelique (@chengelis) April 28, 2017
Sep. 30, 2017: During a bye week, Harbaugh went to Michigan’s Water Carnival and participated in some of the platform diving. He, of course, did it in khakis.
.@CoachJim4UM is a platform guy. Perfect form. #GOBLUE pic.twitter.com/uBZXGncavV
— Michigan Swimming & Diving (@umichswimdive) September 30, 2017
He tried multiple times in what was determined to be a cannonball contest.
July 19, 2018: “Car and Driver” went to Ann Arbor to do a video segment with Harbaugh and a Dodge Charger. Harbaugh drove to his childhood house, and then drove the car into the Big House and did doughnuts on the turf.
It’s a fun video, definitely check out the whole thing: ? pic.twitter.com/xK8OYwbfr4
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) July 9, 2018
July 30, 2018: In a story in Bleacher Report, Harbaugh is quoted as telling quarterback Wilton Speight to avoid chicken “because it’s a nervous bird.”
Aug. 6, 2020: During a conference call among Big Ten coaches, Harbaugh reportedly interrupted Ohio State coach Ryan Day and asked him about a photo that showed then assistant coach Al Washington coaching the linebackers during a time on the calendar when it wasn’t permitted.
Day reportedly responded by telling Harbaugh to worry about his team. After the call, Bucknuts reported that Day told his team that Michigan should hope for a mercy rule, because they’re going to, “hang 100 on them.”
Sep. 15, 2020: This is the last time that Harbaugh tweeted, perhaps ending an epic run of one of the great Twitter beefers.
Nov. 28, 2021: After Day said Ohio State was going to hang 100 points on Michigan, the Wolverines beat Ohio State 42-27. Harbaugh wasted no time in talking trash to Day when asked in his postgame press conference what he thought of Ohio State’s trash talking in recent years.
“Sometimes there are people standing on third base that think they hit a triple,” Harbaugh said at the time.”But they didn’t.”
Harbaugh eventually explained on a radio show on 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit that it was a shot at Day.
“It was definitely a counterpunch by me, to the comment that they were going to hang 100 on us, etcetera,” Harbaugh said on the radio. “Kind of like Sugar Ray Robinson.”
Jan. 20, 2022: While Harbaugh hasn’t been on social media, it doesn’t mean he hasn’t gone viral. While recruiting players at Jesuit High School in Tampa, Florida, he decided to do squats in the weight room.
For college coaches such as Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh, life on the road recruiting can make it difficult to get in a daily workout.
So today in the Oliva Weight Room at Jesuit, Harbaugh worked some squats into his visit.#AMDG l #GoTigers l #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/KeoftiJP4s
— Jesuit Tigers Football (@JesuitTigers_FB) January 20, 2022
Dec. 11, 2022: In-home visits with Harbaugh have already produced sleep overs and tree-climbing escapades.
In a seemingly tamer moment, Harbaugh helped wash the dishes at receiver Semaj Morgan’s house on a visit.
At the Morgan household…you have to pull your weight!!!! @CoachJim4UM definitely pulled him. Thanks Coach for coming out we really enjoyed you!!! You are truly and amazing guy!!! pic.twitter.com/fi9FdPieaQ
— Erika Morgan (@Erika_Morgan_TS) December 11, 2022
Feb. 22, 2023: Picture yourself driving on a road at night, when you come across a large tree blocking your way. Now imagine you look out your windshield to see Jim Harbaugh trying to move the tree in front of you.
On 2/22/23 at approximately 8pm in the middle of the ice storm Ofc Howard Cooper was at Devonshire and Londonderry to remove a large tree that was blocking the road when a van pulled up. The driver then parked and got out of the vehicle. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/FxG3s9t0P7
— Ann Arbor Police (@A2Police) February 23, 2023
That is exactly what happened to one driver near Ann Arbor, as Harbaugh made the news for helping a police officer move a tree out of the road. The ordeal was caught on the police camera and footage was later shared online.
Sep. 9, 2023: While serving a three-game suspension for NCAA recruiting violations, Harbaugh was back working with the referee crew.
Jim Harbaugh was part of the chain gang at his son’s game earlier today: pic.twitter.com/OQh55pVjxw
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) September 9, 2023
Sep. 30, 2023: Defensive tackle Kenneth Grant intercepted a pass against Nebraska, which was quite the feat for a 6-foot-3, 339-pound lineman. After the game was over, when everyone was in the locker room, Harbaugh decided that the whole team should sing the song, “For he’s a jolly good fellow,” to Grant.
The song somehow stuck with the team and they sang it after every game this season.
Nov. 6, 2023: Pro wrestling icon Ric Flair and Harbaugh became friends when Harbaugh played for the Chicago Bears and have spent time together ever since.
Just Spent The Morning With My Close Friend The Great @CoachJim4UM! Go Blue! WOOOOO! pic.twitter.com/voqAEP16eB
— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) November 6, 2023
Flair showed up to Ann Arbor for a visit in November and exited the building without his signature, “Woo.”
Nov. 13, 2023: Harbaugh sounded as though he was losing his voice, but insisted he wasn’t sick.
Instead, he insisted that he is the “iron wall that viruses bash against” and he’ll do “push ups and eat an apple” to get better.
Nov. 20, 2023: In one of his final odd statements as Michigan coach, Harbaugh quoted Ted Lasso.
Jim Harbaugh says despite the outside noise, his locker room is one piece. He says he likes his locker rooms like he likes his mom’s bathing suits…one piece.
— Tom VanHaaren (@TomVH) November 20, 2023
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Ryan S. ClarkMay 3, 2025, 07:30 AM ET
Close- Ryan S. Clark is an NHL reporter for ESPN.
Peter DeBoer is always thinking. Especially the night before a Game 7. It’s just that arguably the greatest do-or-die coach in North American sports history is thinking more about what movie he’s going to watch rather than how he’s going to remain undefeated in another Game 7.
Anyone who thinks that the night before a Game 7 consists of DeBoer drinking a sixth cup of coffee while he and his assistants are reviewing game film is mistaken. That process started well before they even reached that point, with the strong reality that it likely started days before they even played Game 1.
DeBoer’s process isn’t dependent on Game 7. It’s something that has been several years in the making but still has room for adjustments. His approach is rooted in how he speaks to players, and the way he makes them feel after speaking to them. It’s how he approaches what goes into coaching, while knowing when to take a step back so his assistants feel empowered to do their jobs without someone looking over their proverbial shoulders.
The plan is simple: Be thoughtful, but don’t overthink.
“I think players want two or three things they can concentrate on,” DeBoer said. “Otherwise, the picture becomes muddy, and that tends to slow your processing down.”
Some variation of that message has defined George Peter DeBoer, an individual who, despite having a law degree, opted to pursue coaching. Not that DeBoer couldn’t have been an attorney. It’s just that becoming a coach has seen him go from what could have been a life filled with depositions to making a living by disposing of his opponents in winner-take-all contests.
DeBoer is 8-0 all time in Game 7s, and he could improve that record to 9-0 should the Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday. A win would not only mean the Stars advance to the second round, but it would make DeBoer the NHL’s all-time leader in Game 7 victories, an honor he currently shares with Darryl Sutter.
Until then? DeBoer will think about hockey … to a point. When he reaches that point, that’ll be when his mind will shift toward what action, comedy, drama or rom-com he’ll watch to attain a sense of normalcy before trying to pull off the abnormal. Again.
“It’s crazy and I’m sure when I’m done and looking back, it’s going to be one of the things I’m really proud of, and I’m going to tell my grandkids about it hopefully,” DeBoer said of his Game 7 record. “I feel fortunate because I know how hard those players have played in those situations for me and how much work has gone into winning those. Also, how hard the staffs I’ve had have worked, because they don’t get enough credit for that.”
TRUST IS THE WORD that Chandler Stephenson uses countless times over the course of a 10-minute interview about what makes DeBoer the best at winning Game 7s, while also being one of the best head coaches of this current generation of NHL bench bosses.
One item that has made DeBoer one of the premier coaches of this generation is how his teams not only win, but win in quick fashion. In each of the first seasons that he has guided a team to the playoffs, those teams have reached the conference finals.
It’s part of the reason the Vegas Golden Knights hired DeBoer in-season in 2019-20 before the pandemic limited his regular-season mark to 15 wins in 22 games. Stephenson, who was on the Golden Knights when DeBoer arrived, said DeBoer knew how to explain his systems and what he wanted from players without it feeling forced.
“I think that kind of goes into a Game 7. Game 7s are Game 7s,” said Stephenson, who now plays for the Seattle Kraken. “You’re getting everybody’s best, and you’re focusing on yourself. But for him, he has that belief in his system and that you can trust it, it can work, and he makes guys feel confident and feel good about their game. It shows the kind of coach that he is … but he’s also a human being at the same time.”
Where DeBoer’s humanity shines through is the way his three children talk about their Uncle Steve and Aunt Lisa. In this case, Uncle Steve isn’t a blood relative but rather assistant coach Steve Spott.
Spott has been with DeBoer since 1997 when DeBoer was the head coach of the Plymouth Whalers in the OHL. They worked together when DeBoer went to the Kitchener Rangers, and the two reunited in 2015 when DeBoer took over the San Jose Sharks.
Abby DeBoer said her mother, Susan, and Steve’s wife, Lisa, would always do family dinners when they were in Kitchener together whether the team was at home or on the road. The DeBoers would eventually spend Christmases and Thanksgivings with the Spotts or other assistants who became close with their family.
“They’re my brother’s godparents and their son, Tyler, is my best friend,” said DeBoer’s oldest son, Jack. “They have a daughter who is friends with my sister. It’s almost like having another aunt and uncle and another brother and sister. We’re that close. I think if you have that, the stuff at the rink and camaraderie and those Game 7 wins, they come when you have a lot of respect for the people you work with, and your families are as close as they are.”
Jack, who played college hockey at Boston University and Niagara University, said the DeBoer family has also developed a strong relationship with assistant coach Misha Donskov and his wife, Amy. Peter DeBoer and Donskov worked together in Vegas, with DeBoer promoting Donskov to assistant coach after he had previously served as director of hockey operations. Donskov joined the Stars last season and was also with DeBoer as part of the Team Canada coaching staff at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“It’s not just Pete,” Stars forward Jason Robertson said. “It’s the rest of the coaching staff doing their jobs. It’s the leaders in the room. It’s everything. I’d like to say the majority of his teams have been heavy on veterans, and that goes a long way with preparation. But Mish, Spotter, [Stars assistant coach Alain Nasreddine] all do a great job of preparing players in each way. It’s definitely a team effort and a team effort on the ice.”
Stars captain Jamie Benn said what has made DeBoer so successful with how he approaches Game 7s is that he takes everything into account. Benn said DeBoer has made so many notes throughout the first six games that he’s able to provide players with a complete picture of what must be done to advance to the next round.
Benn has been through two Game 7s with DeBoer. The first came in 2023 when the Stars beat the Kraken in the second round, and the second came in 2024 when they defeated the then-defending champion Golden Knights in the first round.
Though the opponents were different, Benn said the underlying theme was that DeBoer prepared his players by providing a level of detail that leaves them feeling that they’ve been set up for success.
“His track record helps,” Benn said. “In the end, he wants us to go out there, have fun and play. Just play our system the right way with details. He boosts his players up for those moments, and we’ve succeeded.”
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Jamie Benn brings Stars level on the power play
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Robertson said that although he wasn’t initially aware of DeBoer’s Game 7 record entering the game against the Kraken, knowing that history provided the Stars with even more confidence that they could do it again versus the Golden Knights.
As for the Golden Knights: What was it like for Stephenson and the rest of his former teammates to go from having Game 7 success with DeBoer to being on the losing end?
“It was a little bit of, we know his system and what he wants to do, but it’s such a good system that he runs that it gives Dallas success,” Stephenson said. “It gave us success and all the teams he coached success, because that’s what you should want, and that’s how you should want to play the game.”
IT’S CLEAR IN TALKING to those around him that DeBoer knows when to be a coach, when to be a human being and when to use both to make everyone around him feel at ease knowing that their season is on the line.
But is that the real reason DeBoer has won eight consecutive Game 7s? Or is it something else, like a superstition? More specifically, is the fact that DeBoer always wears a three-piece suit in Game 7s — leading to his trademark look being called a “three-Pete suit” — the reason behind his success?
“My first video coach was a guy named Jamie Pringle. He’s in Calgary now and has been there for 10, 12 years,” DeBoer told ESPN in late March. “We played Calgary on this road trip, and he texted me before the game, ‘Do me a favor. We’re fighting for a playoff spot. Don’t wear the three-piece suit!’ And I didn’t! But we beat them anyway. I’m not sure it helped.”
DeBoer admitted that subconsciously he thinks about wearing a three-piece suit before those Game 7s because it goes back to confidence, and the confidence he wants to portray when walking into the dressing room.
“The players really read off you, and it’s a composure, quiet confidence that’s even more critical when you get into those do-or-die situations,” DeBoer explained.
Broadcasts of NHL games often show coaches intensely looking at what’s going on in front of them, or being actively engaged in other ways. It creates the belief that they might not be approachable or that hockey is all they think about.
Abby DeBoer said she has had friends who were nervous at first to meet her dad because he is this “stern-looking” figure wearing a three-piece suit. But when people get to know him and realize that he’s someone who enjoys life, he’s able to connect with everyone from his children’s friends to his assistant coaches to his players.
“For him, it’s not about being the loudest person in the room or having your voice heard and everyone immediately following,” Abby said. “He’s really open to conversation. He’s really open to feedback. He’s really open to collaboration.”
Oddly enough, something DeBoer’s children say he’s not open to is talking with them about his job in any great detail. Jack and Matt joked that they might be able to get their dad to answer two questions before he moves on to a subject that doesn’t involve what he does at the rink.
That even includes Game 7s.
“I kind of wish I could maybe hear a little more from him sometimes but he’s pretty, ‘Keep hockey at the rink,’ especially with those Game 7s,” said Matt, a junior forward who plays college hockey at Holy Cross. “He’s a calm person. He doesn’t really like to talk about himself or what’s going on at the rink. When he’s home, it’s, ‘Let’s watch a movie or let’s talk about your hockey life.'”
DeBoer is quick to deflect the praise elsewhere when asked what has made him so successful in Game 7s. He credits the fact that he has had good fortune winning those Game 7s in different circumstances, or how he has had assistants who have made players feel at ease, along with the different team leaders he has had over the years.
“Through seven games, we try to present a really clear picture to our group over and over again of what’s working and what isn’t,” DeBoer said. “I’d like to think that by Game 7 of a series that our guys have a really clear picture of how we want to execute or what we want to do.”
DeBoer also says that having home-ice advantage for many of those Game 7s has played a role. Six of his eight Game 7 wins have come on home ice; another took place with the Stars as the “home team” in the Edmonton bubble.
The Stars host the Avs in Game 7 and have won two of the three games this series played at the American Airlines Center.
“I always say home ice isn’t important until a Game 7, and I really believe that,” DeBoer said. “I think in Game 7 it is an important advantage.”
After a 17-year NHL coaching career, DeBoer could use this postseason to fortify what is already a strong résumé. He has won 662 regular-season games, which ranks 17th all time, while his 91 playoff victories are eighth in NHL history.
His time in Dallas has included the Stars advancing to consecutive Western Conference finals; if they can get beyond the Avs on Saturday, they’ll remain on a path for a third straight trip — along with the chance to win the second Stanley Cup in franchise history, which would be DeBoer’s first.
As the rounds continue and the matchups tighten, there’s a chance DeBoer could find himself in another Game 7 situation after Saturday, which led to him being asked another question about his exploits.
Given all the success he has had with Game 7, why can’t his teams close out a series in five or six games?
“Oh, for sure! That’s the funny part of it,” he said. “I get all this credit for winning Game 7s, but I’ve lost a lot of series in Games 4, 5 and 6 too over the years. You’re never as smart as you think you are.”
Sports
Stars-Avalanche Game 7 preview: Key players to watch, final score predictions
Published
1 hour agoon
May 3, 2025By
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Multiple Contributors
May 3, 2025, 07:00 AM ET
Prior to the start of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, one series stood out from the rest: Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche.
Both teams finished with more than 100 points in the regular season, appeared to be in a championship-contention window and employed Mikko Rantanen at one time during the 2024-25 campaign.
Sure enough, the two clubs have battled in their series — and six games weren’t enough to determine a victor.
Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN+) will be Game 7. It is the 199th Game 7 in Stanley Cup playoff history, and if you enjoy nail-biters, recent history suggests you are in luck: Since 2022, 11 of the 14 Game 7s have been decided by one goal, including all four in 2024.
To help get you fully prepared for the game, we’ve gathered ESPN reporters and analysts to identify the key players to watch, along with final score predictions for the pivotal clash.
Who is the one key player you’ll be watching?
Ryan S. Clark, NHL reporter: It has to be Matt Duchene. After scoring 30 goals and reaching 80 points for the second time in his career, he has only one point in the series.
His productivity was key in the regular season, and the Stars could use a strong performance from Duchene in Game 7. Remember what he did against his former team in an elimination game last postseason: The Stars won in double overtime on Duchene’s goal.
Emily Kaplan, NHL reporter: Cale Makar. It doesn’t feel right that the best defenseman in the world, who scored 30 goals this season, doesn’t have a goal this series. He holds himself to a high standard, saying “I have to be a lot better” ahead of the pivotal Game 6. Makar was, picking up three points to stave off elimination, but I still think he’ll get to another gear Saturday.
Victoria Matiash, NHL analyst: Valeri Nichushkin. The Stars have had their hands full trying to stop the second-line power forward — and ex-teammate — when he’s at his most effective. After potting a pair of goals to help propel the Avalanche to Game 7, Nichushkin is poised to add another goal (or two) when it matters most. Like many others in the league, he tends to score in bunches. After not being available for the Avs in recent playoffs, he has extra incentive.
Arda Öcal, NHL broadcaster: Nathan MacKinnon has six goals and 10 points in this series. If there’s one guy with the highest levels of compete and a “never say die” attitude, it’s MacKinnon. MacKinnon’s six goals is one shy of tying the franchise record for most goals in a playoff series (with Rantanen among those that are currently tied for that record).
Kristen Shilton, NHL reporter: This is the moment for Mikko Rantanen. Dallas went all-in when it acquired Rantanen, whom the Stars signed for the long haul so he could be a difference-maker at a time like this.
Rantanen was excellent in helping Dallas bounce back in Game 5, finishing with a goal and two assists. He had four points in the Stars’ Game 6 defeat. That’s the sort of performance the Stars should expect him to replicate in Game 7. Rantanen won a Stanley Cup with the Avs; he knows what it takes to finish a series and advance deep into the playoffs. That experience will be invaluable as well for Rantanen as he leads by example for the Stars.
Greg Wyshynski, NHL reporter: He’s not on the ice, but behind the bench. Dallas coach Peter DeBoer can set an NHL record for career Game 7 wins if the Stars defeat the Avalanche. He’s 8-0 in his career, tied with several players and coach Darryl Sutter for the most career Game 7 wins. DeBoer and former Dallas forward Brad Richards are the only two individuals in NHL history to win their first eight Game 7s.
On one hand, it’s probably not great that so many of DeBoer’s teams have been in “win or go home” series scenarios. On the other hand, it has been the opponents who have gone home every time.
The final score will be _____.
Clark: 4-3 Stars. Granted, anything can happen in a Game 7, especially when a team as powerful as the Avs is involved. The Stars get the nod because they not only have won Game 7s in consecutive postseasons, but their coach Peter DeBoer is 8-0 in these do-or-die games. Again, it’s the Avs and the Stars — which means any number of possibilities could be on the table — but Dallas gets the slight edge.
Kaplan: 4-3 Avalanche. It will be high-octane. The pace in this series has been incredible, but it has often been the Avalanche setting the tone — and I expect them to be flying again. What the Stars have done without two of their biggest stars, Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson, shows their depth. But the Avs have too much star power not to get it done.
Matiash: 3-1 Avalanche. Nathan MacKinnon, at his best, is tough to contain when everything is on the line. Even if the Stars stifle the Avs’ top unit, that secondary forward front, including Nichushkin, Brock Nelson, and Gabriel Landeskog, provides too formidable a follow-up punch. Plus, Mackenzie Blackwood, who has strung together few porous starts all season, appears set to provide another stellar showing, similar to the shutout he pitched in Game 4.
Öcal: 3-1 Stars. Jake Oettinger makes 43 saves. Roope Hintz opens the scoring, the Avs tie it up thanks to Cale Makar on the power play. Early in the third, it’s who else but Mikko Rantanen scoring on a breakaway, then Thomas Harley adds an empty-netter and Dallas moves on to Round 2.
Shilton: 3-2 Stars. It never hurts to have home-ice advantage in a Game 7, especially when you’ve played as well in your own building as Dallas did all season. The Stars have been the better team — by a slim margin — in the series, and though it should be a close contest, Dallas has the juice to send Colorado packing.
Peter DeBoer’s perfect coaching record in Game 7s aside, the Stars are practically seasoned vets when it comes to playing in them, while the Avalanche haven’t had the same success closing teams out since their Cup win three years ago. It’ll be a tight battle.
Wyshynski: Stars 4-2. I picked them before the series in seven games and I’ll stick with that. That was a one-goal Game 6 until the empty-netters, despite Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen being the entirety of the Dallas offense. The Stars will need something out of Matt Duchene, Tyler Seguin and Mason Marchment in Game 7. The encouraging thing is that they got something out of all three of them in the Stars’ Game 5 rout, so maybe they just need some home cooking.
Factor in Jake Oettinger‘s 1.54 goals-against average and .956 save percentage in three Game 7 appearances (2-1 record), and I like Dallas to advance.
Sports
Tigers’ Greene homers twice in 9th in MLB first
Published
4 hours agoon
May 3, 2025By
admin
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ESPN News Services
May 3, 2025, 12:45 AM ET
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Riley Greene didn’t want to dwell on becoming the first player in major league history to homer twice in the ninth inning of a game.
The Detroit Tigers‘ slugger hit a leadoff shot and then added a three-run blast later in the inning in a 9-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night.
“Yeah, I just found that out — pretty cool,” Greene said after fueling an eight-run, seven-hit outburst in the ninth. “But the game is over. We got to show up tomorrow and try to win another baseball game.”
The score was tied 1-1 when Greene, facing Angels closer Kenley Jansen, led off the ninth with a 371-foot homer off the top of the right-field wall.
Colt Keith followed with a homer to left-center for a 2-1 lead, Jace Jung singled with one out, and Javier Báez hit a two-out, two-run shot to left for a 5-1 lead, giving the Tigers’ center fielder home runs in three straight games.
The Tigers, who have an American League-best 21-12 record, weren’t through. Kerry Carpenter singled, Zach McKinstry doubled, knocking Jansen out of the game, and Carpenter scored on a wild pitch to make it 6-1.
Spencer Torkelson walked, giving Greene a shot at history, and the cleanup man seized the moment, crushing a 409-foot homer to right-center off left-hander Jake Eder for a 9-1 lead.
Greene is the first Tigers player to hit two homers in an inning since Magglio Ordonez did so in the second inning against the Oakland Athletics on Aug. 12, 2007. The only other Tigers player to homer twice in an inning is Hall of Famer Al Kaline against the Kansas City A’s on April 17, 1955, in the sixth inning.
“He’s made an All-Star team, he’s been a featured player on our team, he hits in the middle of the order, he gets all the toughest matchups, and he asks for more,” Detroit manager A.J. Hinch said of Greene, who is batting .276 with an .828 OPS, 7 homers and 20 RBIs this season.
“You want guys to be rewarded when they work as hard as they do, and tonight was a huge night for him.”
Greene joined the Angels’ Jo Adell as the only players to hit multiple homers in an inning this season. Adell did it April 10 at Tampa Bay, in the fifth inning.
It was the second straight night in which the Tigers have landed a few late-inning haymakers in Anaheim. Detroit scored eight runs on seven hits in the eighth and ninth innings of Thursday night’s 10-4 victory over the Angels, who have lost seven straight and 15 of their past 19 games.
“There’s no quit in our team,” said ace Tarik Skubal, who gave up 1 run and 4 hits and struck out 8 in 6 innings Friday night. “We grind out at-bats, we don’t give away at-bats, and I think our record shows that. They grind out starters, relievers … I know I wouldn’t want to face a lineup like that. Every at-bat, they’re in it.”
ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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