Sam Webb Interview Re: Partridge & Michigan's PSU Prep
Ahoy folks,
Been a brutal day, but I thought this brief video had some good tidbits to ease the blow. Two things of note for me:
- Partridge got axed for his communications with players regarding the investigation (around 2:28 mark). Been some speculation about deleting files or coordinating with Stalions, but Sam doesn't seem to think so.
- Michigan's staff fully expected a TRO and had not repped with Harbaugh's absence factored in (~7:00 mark). Maryland will be a great warm up for the staff's process to get worked out before The Game.
November 17th, 2023 at 6:32 PM ^
Okay, Partridge shouldn't have advised players on what to say. That being said, if that is the extent of what he did, it is a lot less troubling than some of the other things people were speculating he might have done.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:17 PM ^
He also deleted evidence supposedly off computers.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:35 PM ^
Did you even read the OP? The part where Sam Webb said he didn’t think that happened?
November 17th, 2023 at 7:48 PM ^
How about partridge just not be a dick when the stalions news breaks?
November 17th, 2023 at 7:36 PM ^
I’m not sure it’s much better. The logical response an investigator might have to coaching is that you’re doing it because you have something to hide. If there was nothing to hide why coach the players on their responses?
November 17th, 2023 at 8:05 PM ^
It could range from a fairly innocent -- he was their coach and they look up to him, so the players sought him out for advice (which he stupidly gave more than "be honest").
To something fair more nefarious where he actively reached out to players and put pressure on them to say/not say certain things. Ie a cover up.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:37 PM ^
Sam is a mouth piece for the football team. We have no idea the true story - Sam will say whatever they tell him to say. They will utilize him to make everything look bright and shiny as always.
November 17th, 2023 at 10:12 PM ^
That might depend on what he advised them to say/not say.
November 17th, 2023 at 6:36 PM ^
Real recognize real(ly full of sh*t) report #572..
November 17th, 2023 at 6:37 PM ^
i Believe in magic (not johnson)
November 17th, 2023 at 6:42 PM ^
Positive thought:
If Michigan is down a couple coaches and still beats OSU, Ryan Day is skewered.
November 17th, 2023 at 6:43 PM ^
I know people shit on Sam sometimes but I believe what he says. Of course, he embellishes a bit sometimes, but in this case he was truly surprised as well. He talked about Harbaugh's extension and in his usual way he is cryptic. I guess it is not being discussed right now and possibly pick it back up after the suspension. But his tone on him leaving for NFL sounds like it is a 50/50 chance. Basically, no one knows.
November 17th, 2023 at 6:55 PM ^
Literally anyone could say what Webb “reported,” which allows for tons of wiggle room in any direction. “I’m hearing this might happen, but we don’t know for sure — it could go either way.” That’s not reporting. That’s pure clickbait speculation of the kind you’d hear at a bar at 3am.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:18 PM ^
It is easy to be crass. He is the first one who I heard say that Chris talked to players. I don't care about clickbait even though I don't think it was. I will happily give him my clicks. You do what you do.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:24 PM ^
If it was going to get done it would have by now. This week probably out the nail in the coffin for his tenure.
I of course know nothing and am talking out of my ass which makes me a Michigan Insider now!
November 17th, 2023 at 6:48 PM ^
If #1 were true, I don't see that being something that we'd abandon the hearing for. Could've had the hearing and dealt with Partridge next week.
November 17th, 2023 at 6:52 PM ^
All I know is petitedick and other conference schools are conspiring..this anti Michigan coming from the BIG 10 has been goung on for awhile..Its seriously time to get OUT!
November 17th, 2023 at 7:22 PM ^
No it hasn't, and no it's not. We need to stop this tinfoil hat deep-state conspiracy thinking nonsense.
Unless you can tell me why the Big Ten would be anti-Michigan, and show me multiple examples of that alleged bias. Otherwise we have to stop blaming everyone else for holding us accountable for our own screw-ups.
Doesn't mean we're bad people or an evil team. But if we fuck up, we need to own it, not scream about how persecuted we are.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:59 PM ^
Harbaugh is trying to cut B1G revenues in half by encouraging profit sharing with players. Is that enough for you?
November 17th, 2023 at 9:29 PM ^
The more that comes out the more it seems that this self-indicted wound is being made worse by the incompetence of the athletic department. I can’t believe the compliance department has a clue if they did not foresee the potential pitfalls of coaches inadvertently discussing the investigation to the point where it might be construed as impeding it and not providing guidance as to what is and is not acceptable. I don’t think we have been treated fairly but we certainly have done ourselves no favors and have been purely reactive instead of proactive. This reflects poorly on the leadership of the department and for that only we bear the blame.
November 17th, 2023 at 10:29 PM ^
Michigan did not fuck up. The NCAA claiming 3rd parties that were never hired or known by the University, or Football program are now somehow university “advanced scouts” is laughable.
That would mean any one on any staff who ever passed to other staffs signals/info of opponents from recent games their team played, were advance scouting for those other schools.
November 18th, 2023 at 10:50 AM ^
When is the last time the B1G intervened mid-season to suspend a head coach for 1) allegations which 2) may not even violate any rules and 3) the HC evidently had no part in?
What more do you need to know? Punishing an organization for allegations which aren’t even determined to be violations is not “accountability”
November 17th, 2023 at 6:59 PM ^
As a life long Browns fan I have been able to separate this stuff from my life. I love Michigan sports and will always be a fan but I also know now that I can control none of this.
Sam may be right or wrong and there's nothing I can do about it. Just like Deshaun Watsons shoulder...
November 17th, 2023 at 7:06 PM ^
This clears up nothing because no one knows except those that know
November 17th, 2023 at 7:08 PM ^
Having read, watched, and listened to all of the experts and insiders the past month, I'm convinced that totally random made-up s#@t posed by anonymous users on message boards as deranged as RCMB and 11 Warriors is every bit as informed and accurate
November 17th, 2023 at 7:09 PM ^
How was the Uncle T information unearthed?
November 17th, 2023 at 7:33 PM ^
So Ohio State managed to get our coach suspended, our LB coach fired, and a major booster thrown under the bus. All of this because we beat them two years in a row. And they were helped by the conference commissioner and every other team in the B1G. No one helped us through the Rodriguez and Hoke years, nor did we hire a PI firm when Ohio born officials ripped us off in 2016. The political power is strong in Columbus, a.k.a. America's armpit.
November 17th, 2023 at 9:36 PM ^
Maybe, but frankly the athletic department appears either inept or corrupt, and that’s a bad public image to have. This also not the first recent scandal where the athletic department appears to be out of touch. From all the stuff with Dr. Anderson, Mel, and the Shemy hire, the department looks like the gang that can’t shoot straight. It’s not all on Warde but it certainly reflects on Warde that neither he nor his people ever seem to be aware of what is going on in their own fiefdom.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:20 PM ^
I am once again frustrated by the incompetence from the AD and the university
November 17th, 2023 at 8:48 PM ^
I don't know. A week ago, the Regents were talking about leaving the B1G. 48 hours ago, Santa and Warde were ready to go to war. Something new along the lines of "Oh shit... fuck" must have come to light for them to pull an abrupt 180 and then unceremoniously fire one of Harbaugh's most valued assistants. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't like where this is headed.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:26 PM ^
Hopefully that explains the trouble getting the plays in.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:33 PM ^
I wish that this was Michigan just positioning themselves to put osu in a corner when they drop the binder. But, I know better than to think like an I-Hole.
Hopefully Ono doesn’t go full-on Mary Sue and nuke the program.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^
The scandal appears to be:
1) some low level staffer, with financing from one booster, pays people to go games and record them. While probably against the "spirit of the law", it was arguably not against the "letter of the law". Further, in an environment where other teams are providing advice scouting services. CS's actions provided no competitive advantage.
2) Partridge advised his players what to tell investigators. How bad this is depends on whether he was actively trying to spin the narrative to hide something, or whether the players sought out their coach for advice and he stupidly responded.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
wrong thread
November 17th, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
All of these different news outlets are reporting that Partridge "participated in the destruction of evidence." Now, a Michigan-friendly blogger is refuting that hours later, not the school itself?
That's why it doesn't make sense for Sam, Hole, Balas or anyone else to report out whatever "dirt" they think they know. No one will believe it unless ESPN, SI or Yahoo picks it up. And to be honest, I don't believe it either.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:40 PM ^
If the NCAA is still investigating something - then, Michigan can’t publicly comment.
November 17th, 2023 at 9:36 PM ^
Yeah, but they have ways to feed information to reputable news sources.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:38 PM ^
Just think - the real reason for all of this is… the warranty costs for helmets with sideline communication systems.
Perhaps the B1G will implement a helmet communication system for all conference games next season.
November 17th, 2023 at 7:39 PM ^
Does anyone know if the players have legal representation for these sham NCAA interviews that are being conducted? Multiple reports have said investigators were talking to the players. I would not have them say a word to the NCAA without a lawyer present.
November 17th, 2023 at 8:02 PM ^
Saw something today on Twitter where someone said Partridge is gonna be "Deep Throat." And while I don't necessarily believe that, it did get me thinking...in situations like this, how do they keep guys quiet? Do they have NDAs? Something tied to a buyout/financial comp?
Like, I feel like you never hear about a fired OC or something interviewing about transgressions from a former employer.
November 17th, 2023 at 9:47 PM ^
You lost me at “Twitter”
November 18th, 2023 at 11:50 AM ^
After the investigations at 4/7ths of the B1G East, your concern is “how do they keep guys quiet?”
November 17th, 2023 at 8:21 PM ^
I've become disillusioned with many of the talking heads who are supposedly plugged in with insiders (with the possible exception of JUB, since he at least said that no one knows anything).
What we know is that Michigan looked like it was ready to go to war, only to pull an abrupt about-face, withdraw its legal challenge to Harbaugh's suspension, and then unceremoniously fire one of Harbaugh's most valued assistants hours before the team departed for Maryland. That don't look none too good for how this will unfold from here on out.
November 17th, 2023 at 9:50 PM ^
I don’t think the school suddenly about-facing and bending the knee would be due to something this minor.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:47 PM ^
My question is still, who could possibly have any information about CP deleting data? Who would have had any access to that? Neither the BT or NCAA has confiscated computers, AFAIK. This can not be the “Wednesday night surprise” that caused UM to drop the TRO request on Thursday. Sam’s explanation seems 100x more plausible to me. And likely came from UM’s internal questioning.
The dropped case seems most likely in the vein of Barbara McQuaid’s tweet. UM thought they might lose and that would look bad. Or they could drop it and be done with it in 9 days. And if they won, then the actual case would be heard weeks/months from now. Just be done with it.