The Los Angeles Rams need a coach. Their owner, Stan Kroenke, could be interested in hiring Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh. He'd be foolish not to.
And Harbaugh would be foolish to see such interest as anything other than flattering. His fans shouldn't think any differently.
It doesn't mean he should go. Or is ready to go. Or will go. In fact, it's hard to imagine him walking away from U-M after two seasons. He's still got work to do. Besides, he loves Ann Arbor, loves the university and wants to win ... big.
That competitive spirit is what makes him Jim Harbaugh. It's also what makes his name a commodity when an important football job opens. Coaching the Los Angeles Rams is such a job.
The franchise operates in the second-largest market in the country. It is set to open a palatial football emporium in 2019. It has a promising young quarterback. In a few years, that sort of combo truly might tempt Harbaugh.
But it won't now.
He's in his spiritual home, and leaving home requires, among other things, good timing.
Harbaugh is still recovering from losing to Ohio State and narrowly missing out on a spot in the College Football Playoff. He knew he had a team good enough to be there and compete for the title.
Missed opportunities in sports can hang around the psyche like fog. The most competitive among us, however, don't try to escape it. Nor run to another place. They embrace the pain and fight for another chance.
It's true that U-M loses 19 senior starters and likely will lose all-everything sophomore Jabrill Peppers. That's a lot to replace. The Wolverines have a bevy of young talent, though. They return their quarterback, Wilton Speight, and a promising youngster who could push him in Brandon Peters.
Meanwhile, Harbaugh has been crisscrossing the country working on another top-10 recruiting class, which could improve even more the next few weeks. He revels in the challenge of recruiting, and, for right now, at least, it gets him into the world in a way the NFL can't.
Don't underestimate Harbaugh's curiosity of the world. It drives him nearly as much as his manically competitive nature. His position at U-M and the doors it opens are essential to that churning mind.
It's possible, obviously, that he will want to return one day to professional football to win the Super Bowl. The NFL is our most socialist sports league _ the talent level isn't that different from team to team. Not like it is in college.
In other words, tactical maneuvering and development matter more in the pros. So does fundamental competitiveness. Surely, these things speak to Harbaugh's inner workings.
They speak to NFL owners and general managers, too, which is why Harbaugh's name surfaced this week in connection with the Rams. So far, it's nothing more than speculation. Rams great Eric Dickerson said on ESPN Tuesday that his former team should go after Harbaugh.
"I don't know if he wants to leave Michigan, that's on him," Dickerson said. "But I know what he did at Stanford. He turned the (49ers) around. He took Michigan to No. 5 in the country. He's done so much. You've got to look at a track record of a coach."
Yes, you do. And the Rams would be smart to toss a fishing line into the river. Just as any discerning football employer would be.
Harbaugh is that good. He has won in both college and the NFL. He has made the transition in a way few have _ not even Nick Saban. The best comparison might be Pete Carroll, who has won even more than Harbaugh.
Carroll, though, doesn't have the NFL playing resume of Harbaugh. Nor the reputation as a quarterback guru. The Rams need that sort of presence as they attempt to re-establish their brand in a long-idle market. It's an inviting challenge.
Just not the right time for Harbaugh.
As U-M junior defensive end Chase Winovich tweeted: "You clearly don't understand our head football coach if you think he can be bought out like that. He's not going anywhere _ we wouldn't let him LOL."
