Litigation Dropped, Michigan Suspends Harbaugh
It isn't justice, but the justice system, at least for the moment, is out of the process. Michigan agreed to suspend Harbaugh for three game days, which means he will not be on the sideline against Ohio State.
A Statement from the University of Michigan
"This morning, the University, Coach Harbaugh, and the Big Ten resolved their pending litigation. The Conference agreed to close its investigation, and the University and Coach Harbaugh agreed to accept the three-game suspension. Coach Harbaugh, with the University's support, decided to accept this sanction to return the focus to our student-athletes and their performance on the field. The Conference has confirmed that it is not aware of any information suggesting Coach Harbaugh’s involvement in the allegations. The University continues to cooperate fully with the NCAA’s investigation."
The Big Ten also issued a statement:
The Big Ten Conference’s commitment to student-athletes, sportsmanship and the Commissioner’s duty to protect the integrity of competition will never waver. Today’s decision by the University of Michigan to withdraw its legal challenge against the Conference’s November 10th Notice of Disciplinary Action is indicative of the high standards and values that the Conference and the University seek to uphold. The University of Michigan is a valued member of the Big Ten Conference and the Conference will continue to work cooperatively with the University and the NCAA during this process.
There are a lot of questions unanswered: Did Michigan roll over, learn more, or get something in return? Did the Big 10 threaten something else and what? How will this affect the NCAA investigation? How does this affect Harbaugh's contract negotiation? Most of all, will the conference continue to gin up penny-ante violations then gang up on Michigan every time the football team is good, and what does this mean for the conference's future and Michigan's commitment to it? How much will Harbaugh's absence affect them in what was already the most important football game ever?
There is no content after the jump because I have no answers.
November 16th, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
The B10 can take that fucking statement and shove right back where it came from - up Pettiti's ass.
November 16th, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
Seriously. We couldn’t at least get them to retract the ridiculous “player safety” claim?
November 16th, 2023 at 4:44 PM ^
This only thing that makes sense IMO is that the B1G case is closed, and should placate the NCAA. There may have been a real risk of vacated wins, that is now off the table.
That is the only reason I would have capitulated.
November 16th, 2023 at 4:52 PM ^
Yeah, except I see no guarantee in that statement that vacated wins, further suspensions, etc are off the table from the NCAA. And if you still trust the institutions that run college football….
November 16th, 2023 at 5:04 PM ^
Or a real risk of more suspensions because more information was uncovered that shows someone other than Harbaugh was involved, in which case they could suspend Harbaugh for more games.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:13 PM ^
I feel like this is a real possibility. Some other coach likely was aware. That person knew enough not to include Harbaugh. It’s also likely they had no idea it would turn into this. The CMU thing still puzzles me though. Maybe that Koolaid guy can shine some light on the issue.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
But here's the thing....
That isn't necessarily the case at all, at least not in THIS case.
Michigan could be VERY confident that NO additional coaches were involved, NO additional big skeletons will be coming out of the closet on this issue, etc. And in a normal situation with a responsible commissioner, that'd be good enough for Michigan to stand firm in it's position. The problem is, we aren't dealing w/ a normal commissioner. We're dealing with a total whack-job & a pack of unhinged jackals.
In *THIS* situation, in order for Michigan to avoid getting thunder-fucked *even more* by Petitti & The Jackals this season, the default threshhold is *100% perfection* over the next month or so. If the *smallest* insignificant additional detail came out that a 3rd string janitor at Schembechler Hall was involved in this CS scheme over the next month there is a *good* chance that Petitti & the Jackals would pounce on it & rationalize more sanctions. Perhaps just suspending Harbaugh for the BTCG, but possibly even trying to prevent Michigan from competing in the BTCG and/or lobbying hard to keep Michigan out of the CFP. It's totally moronic, but that's the situation we found ourselves. And at that point, the question for Michigan & their attorneys was, "EXACTLY how confident are you in your own internal investigation?"
Confident enough to know no "countable coaches" were involved at all?
Sure.
Confident enough to gamble *the best opportunity at a National Championship in decades" on TOTAL PERFECTION & LITERALLY ZERO ADDITIONAL INFO COMING OUT IN THE NEXT MONTH?
Uh.....no.
That's the threshhold that Michigan was dealing with here. And if eating a crap sandwhich now WRT suspending Harbaugh thru Ohio State gets Petitti & the Jackals to back off by not going after Michigan this season--either *entirely* or at least not unless info comes out about "countable coaches" (which Michigan COULD be very confident of 100% perfection)--then from Michigan's perspective it might be a viable option. Still is a crappy situation, but in Michigan's view, they'd be reallocating risk. Namely, but boosting marginal risk that Michigan loses The Game in exchange for radically reducing the risk that the remainder of the season is totally derailed by an unhinged Petitti & Jackals hell bent on further thunder-fucking Michigan b/c an additional scrap of evidence came out about an additional intern or GA being aware of what CS was up to that wasn't previously disclosed.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:09 PM ^
. . . real risk of more suspensions because more information was uncovered that shows someone other than Harbaugh was involved
I believe that this is the case. The Big Ten had more and deeper dirt on Michigan and made Michigan roll over . . . or else.
Look at the Big Ten's statement. It's an end-zone dance:
The Big Ten Conference’s commitment to student-athletes, sportsmanship and the Commissioner’s duty to protect the integrity of competition will never waver. Today’s decision by the University of Michigan to withdraw its legal challenge against the Conference’s November 10th Notice of Disciplinary Action is indicative of the high standards and values (of) the Conference.
Now look at the Michigan statement. It's a lets-just-move-on-to-something-else capitulation:
The Conference agreed to close its investigation, and the University and Coach Harbaugh agreed to accept the three-game suspension. Coach Harbaugh, with the University's support, decided to accept this sanction to return the focus to our student-athletes and their performance on the field.
We folded because we knew we had to. We didn't "get" anything for folding, it is still the 3 game suspension that the Big Ten handed down in the first place. This was not a negotiation, it was a surrender.
I don't like it, you don't like it, but we may actually be getting off with less than could have happened to us, It may be that this could have been far worse.
Watch the Michigan administration folks over the next few weeks. If the outrage is gone and they are just whistling and shuffling their feet and focusing on other things, you will know that's the case.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:16 PM ^
There was no reason for Michigan to accept these terms unless they believed there was a real risk of losing the TRO. Michigan does not want to burn down the house (yet). It is a pragmatic strategy, but it's still disappointing, considering how ridiculous the faux scandal has been.
Long, long, long, long time lurker- first time poster. LSA History '94; Daughter first year UM class of 2027.
Go Blue!
Aloha
November 16th, 2023 at 6:27 PM ^
If we lost the TRO we would still be where we are now: 3 game suspension. So why the need to capitulate to the Big Ten?
Answer: To keep it from being even worse.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:59 PM ^
I also think we've inflated our sense of how powerful we are, at least on this here blog. One day, someone should go back and look at all the comments that essentially say, "They've poked the bear!" Think the Big Ten is just going to roll over, especially when they have an Ohio State breathing down their necks? Not a chance. Michigan can't just waltz out of the conference whenever they feel like it. Down the road, maybe. But not today or tomorrow or next week. Contracts don't work that way.
November 16th, 2023 at 7:16 PM ^
While I am disappointed with this development, Michigan and Harbaugh must have seen something positive - or less severely negative - by not pursuing litigation.
I don't know the answer. Could Harbaugh be falling on his sword to protect someone else, such as an assistant, who may have had knowledge of Stallion's actions? Possible but unlikely at this point.
Perhaps Michigan was threatened with more severe penalties, such as exclusion from the conference Championship Game and they settled to protect the players.
Perhaps, too, they were threatened with being expelled from Conference membership, something that they would prefer not to do, especially at this point in time.
Maybe someday we'll learn the answers.
November 17th, 2023 at 2:04 AM ^
Congrats on your daughter following your footsteps!! My son is class of 2040!
November 16th, 2023 at 7:13 PM ^
Is the NCAA part of the negotiation with Michigan, Harbaugh and the B!G? If not, it could be a repeat down the road, could it not?
If Michigan beats 0SU, do you think the B1G would have done anything to Michigan and pulled it's potential NC out of competition? Because of the number of teams with no losses, whoever loses nine days from now is done.
Unless there is more bad news we are not privy to, capitulating makes no sense.
November 16th, 2023 at 8:32 PM ^
I don’t buy your logic here. Has the Big Ten actually conducted an investigation independent of the NCAA? We saw the evidence they presented, and it was pathetic. If there was more dirt to be uncovered, you can bet your ass it would be leaked anyway. And there’s still the NCAA to deal with. Are you insinuating the Big Ten has evidence the NCAA won’t be privy to? That just doesn’t make sense.
The only thing that makes sense is that Michigan’s lawyers told Ono and Harbaugh they are likely to lose a drawn out battle, and Harbaugh decided he doesn’t want it to be a distraction to the players
November 17th, 2023 at 4:54 AM ^
“Distraction to the players” this rings as hollow as CS’s statement that he was stepping down to not be a distraction. That horse is already out of the barn
November 17th, 2023 at 8:11 AM ^
This is my assumption as well. Litigation has risks, for both sides. It is also an expensive and time consuming venture. Jim may have simply decided it wasn’t worth the potential distraction to the players and the University also decided it wasn’t worth drawing things out with an uncertain legal battle.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:08 PM ^
If that is Michigan’s thought process, I really hope it works out because that is a big ass gamble. This roster is loaded and has real championship aspirations. If we lose The Game, not only will that suck, it’ll most likely keep us out of the CFP. The NCAA investigation may not be over, the media got to slander us for weeks, in the eyes of many we are guilty cheaters and Harbaugh’s contract still isn’t signed. I don’t see an upside here, at all. If this is the approach, hopefully Moore brings us through and we are all laughing about dipshit handing Harbaugh the Bigten trophy next. Time will tell…
November 16th, 2023 at 5:12 PM ^
Michigan said that in their statement. The B1G did not. They could have said “we appreciate Michigan’s cooperation and, upon conclusion of the agreed suspension, we consider the matter closed.”
Auerbach said on Twitter the B1G is reserving the option to add more punishment if the NCAA finds other coaches were involved.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:33 PM ^
I really don’t see how this has even the slightest bearing on the possibility of having to vacate wins.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:41 PM ^
If anything, I think that accepting the penalty (especially at this point) is essentially admitting violations and that makes vacating wins more likely.
November 16th, 2023 at 8:22 PM ^
No. That makes it more likely that UM will sue. Vacating wins for minor infractions will result in a lawsuit. Mountains of evidence showing that sign stealing is commonplace.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^
We broke a rule. A stupid rule, but we broke it. Gave our enemies a chance to turn it into a national cause celebre. The new commissioner, railroaded, felt that he had to do something; he acted out of turn. Now, the UM has to react.
The judge wasn't going to decide for us. Jimmy has already served one game of his sentence. I think that the school, Jim, Warde, everyone, decided to gamble on the idea that we can beat MD and OSU. Then Jim is back. Hopefully with a vengeance.
Saturday is a chance for number 1000. The team will be loaded for bear. Nobody--nobody on that staff is telling the players they can't win a week later without Jim. Fuckin' hell right they can. They've been fashioning the game plan all season, and Jim will coach right up until they run onto the field.
This is going to make for gripping drama, friends. No more whining or worrying; the stage is set.
November 16th, 2023 at 8:32 PM ^
I am really really confused why this is the best outcome for UM. I get that this is really a nothing burger in the sense that everyone looks for an edge. Hell, cheating is all over this sport, in so many ways, in so many eras. But if your not willing to go through the legal process so you can be on the sidelines against OSU, in the most promising season for us to win the National Championship, you have done something wrong and don’t want it out. Of course this is just my opinion, but I would never in a million years thought Jim would do something unethical having watched his whole career from beginning to now end, but I can’t help but feel this is an admission. Hopefully I am way off here, but this doesn’t make sense to me. This will not end well. Not sure what to think.
November 16th, 2023 at 10:05 PM ^
What rule?
November 16th, 2023 at 7:12 PM ^
The B1G statement does not say the case is closed
November 16th, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
This comes across as absolutely gutless from UM after all the hand ringing.
They better have gotten something in return
November 16th, 2023 at 8:51 PM ^
The B1G statement does not say the case is closed
once again Michigan rolled over
my rage against the B1G has turned into disrespect for the administration of the UofM regents and athletic department
you lost this battle and set yourself up for the next extortion
November 16th, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^
Or at least let him coach against an ohio piece of shit school for making the concession.
Man this angers me so much.
Fuck you petitti, fuck you rest of the conference, especially piece of shit ohio!!!
November 16th, 2023 at 4:54 PM ^
I don’t have major issue with this. Michigan clearly, unambiguously, blatantly, broke the rules. That’s not in question. If Harbaugh 3 game punishment is the sentence for the violation, then that’s what it is. Time to move on. We have bigger fish to fry
November 16th, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
Eh. One staffer broke the 'spirit of the rule' and now Jim is getting screwed for it without an investigation. I'm not willing to roll over and take an unprecedented rush to exact punishment
November 17th, 2023 at 12:41 PM ^
One staffer now one coach, now one booster. Michigan done fucked up, and for what??
Oh what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
Harbaugh needs to take his lumps. Won’t affect my rooting for the team a week from Saturday.
As the great Michael Jackson sang; One bad apple…….
November 16th, 2023 at 5:03 PM ^
That is absolutely in question. You'll note that it's an NCAA rule at issue, and the NCAA is still investigating to determine whether that rule was broken.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:09 PM ^
Mary Sue Coleman, is that you? Is this a day of great shame???
November 16th, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
I agree except that Stalions broke rules, not Michigan. When one person goes to extremes, you don’t blame an entire organization.
It’s all on Stalions, but in a way, I really don’t blame him because I doubt he even knew it was against the rules and he’s just an average guy willing to do whatever it takes to help the team and be a part of the program.
Before all of this, how many of us knew you couldn’t advance scout in person? When I coached high school football, we sent our 7th and 8th grade coaches to scout and film our next opponent. Everyone did it. So for it to be not only against the rules, but to have some people calling it the biggest scandal in college football history is absolutely absurd.
The fact administration was ready to fight this to the very end, but now simply throws in the towel is not a good sign. Everything seems to be blown out of proportion and it’s not good for us. - Looking forward to the commissioner handing Harbaugh the Big Ten trophy in a few weeks. That will be fun.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:31 PM ^
Unfortunately that's exactly how it works and the NCAA amended a rule with new language, making sure that coaches are held accountable for the actions of their underlings.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:23 PM ^
Does the Big Ten have that language?
November 16th, 2023 at 7:03 PM ^
It's an NCAA thing. The Big Ten used the vague Sportsmanship rule.
https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/even-if-unaware-jim-harbaugh-can-be-held-responsible-by-ncaa-for-michigan-sign-stealing-scandal/
November 16th, 2023 at 7:54 PM ^
It's not a B1G rule though.
Also everyone knows they'll never apply that to other programs who break rules like tampering or NIL rules because the NCAA is spineless.
The NCAA can still punish Michigan and we could have at least fought the B1G until they decided it's either withdraw the punishments or lose the school.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:31 PM ^
I really don’t blame him because I doubt he even knew it was against the rules
Unless I'm missing something, the fact that he apparently did it on his own, paid for it on his own, and kept the fact from others on staff (as far as we know) indicates to me that he likely knew it was a grey area, at a minimum.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:25 PM ^
The dude on the Tennessee board said his friend who was a camera person was told not to tell Harbaugh. Stalions knew it was wrong.
November 16th, 2023 at 8:35 PM ^
Really, don’t tell Harbaugh? Then who did he tell? The point of it being what then if they didn’t benefit?
November 16th, 2023 at 5:45 PM ^
It’s all on Stalions, but in a way, I really don’t blame him because I doubt he even knew it was against the rules and he’s just an average guy willing to do whatever it takes to help the team and be a part of the program.
All of these coaches and players are supposed to know these rules. There's a reason for a compliance office. Considering his specialty is in stealing signs, he should have been told what not to do. His ignorance is not a defense for him or the school.
Also, if he thought this was within the rules, why not file an expense report so he's not coming out of pocket for this? He knew this was shady at worse.
November 16th, 2023 at 7:38 PM ^
I coached Pop Warner football in Orange County CA... granted it's the land of Saint John Bosco and Matter Dai (#1 and #2 HS programs in the country) but still. I was expected to advance scout and video 7 and 8 year old football games....
Of course that's expected at the college level.
November 16th, 2023 at 10:25 PM ^
Given you misspelled both schools’ names, I’m gonna need receipts for this one…
November 16th, 2023 at 5:20 PM ^
What bigger fish to fry? UM in best position to win an NC since 97, so what else is there? Jim not here to cure cancer.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
National Championship is the bigger fish to fry. Y’all crying about the punishment. Fair or not, time to move on. Maryland is the perch, OSU; blue gill; Iowa; walleye; semifinal; bass; NC; big ol’ sturgeon.
I’m, looking forward and mighty excited. Won’t spend 2 seconds wallowing in this punishment. Time to reach the summit.
November 16th, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
Every time I hear this argument, all I can think of is when people have their lives ruined because of prison sentences related to drug possession and other people say “well yeah. They broke the law.”
Yeah they did, but that punishment is so far out of hand it is worse than the crime.
P.S. The example I have provided is way worse than our football team’s situation, but I feel like it captures the logic I am using.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:21 PM ^
R word.
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