[Bryan Fuller]

Unverified Voracity Settles Comment Count

Brian January 19th, 2022 at 3:15 PM

Harbaugh in the wind update. The Athletic clears some things up about what's going on in Harbaugh's head:

…sources pushed back on the theory that Michigan’s handling of NIL will be a major factor in Harbaugh’s NFL decision.

“Everybody’s got this so unbelievably wrong,” one source said, pointing to Cade McNamara, Blake Corum, J.J. McCarthy, Aidan Hutchinson and other Michigan stars who landed lucrative NIL deals, along with an arrangement that allows players to profit from the sale of officially licensed jerseys.

However:

Whether it’s relaxing restrictions on the use of school trademarks or providing additional NIL infrastructure, there’s a sense that Michigan can do more to maximize its NIL potential.

Harbaugh is Harbaugh so he may indeed flit off to the NFL at a whim but it doesn't sound like it'll be because he feels like he can't compete at a high level. Michigan had the misfortune to run up against a generational Georgia team without the kind of flamethrower at QB you need to overcome that kind of opponent, but that's more an accident of timing than fate.

Settlement reached. The Dr. Anderson number:

Michigan has reached a $490 million settlement with more than 1,000 survivors of sexual abuse by former team doctor Robert Anderson. Parker Stinar, an attorney representing Anderson survivors, said the two sides reached an agreement at approximately 10 p.m. Tuesday.

I have no opinion on whether this is the correct number. So much of the sturm und drang around this was plaintiffs lawyers saying whatever to make the number go up and university officials saying nothing because they weren't allowed to. The number does not matter. What matters is how the university handled it once it was brought to light—pretty well, it seems, no John Englers—and how ruthlessly they ejected Mark Schlissel when his malfeasance came to light. I've seen a lot of questions about why they released the massively embarrassing emails, and I sincerely hope the answer was "fuck around and find out." No quarter for people high up in the university's governance who can't follow basic protocols about decency.

[After THE JUMP: PSU gets aggressive with ticket holders]

Off the board early. Dane Brugler's latest mock draft has NC State OT Ikem Okonkwu at #1, Aidan Hutchinson at #2, and David Ojabo at #8, and Dax Hill at #29 . This is cursed because:

2. Detroit Lions — Aidan Hutchinson, edge, Michigan

A Week 18 victory against the Packers meant the Lions lost the No. 1 overall pick, but there is a decent chance that the top-ranked player on Detroit’s draft board will still be available at No. 2.

Not like this!

Got a little cheesed off. Juwan Howard got a technical last night and uhhhh probably justified:

I'm not sure you have the leverage to do this any more. A development at Penn State:

Per this guy season tickets at PSU haven't sold out in more than a decade, so you wonder what the upside of this is for PSU. Now this guy isn't buying tickets and putting them on the secondary market… okay. Who's buying them instead? We've reached the point where season tickets are a dubious investment for most fans, at least in terms of being able to resell them and make a profit.

I have wanted Michigan to be more aggressive about getting butts in seats for a while now, particularly at Crisler, where there are many, many empty lower-bowl seats for almost all weekday games. Those tickets are just getting eaten by holders, which is worse from the perspective of the AD than just reselling them. What with all these tickets being electronic now Michigan should be asking holders to notify the U when those tickets aren't being used so they can resell them for cheap in an effort to make the atmosphere better.

Anyway.

Blowing it up. Inside the failed attempt to expand the playoff:

The reality is no single person or conference has derailed expansion, though the spotlight is now on the Big Ten and ACC commissioners, who have both publicly dug their heels in on their leagues' respective playoff positions. Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren remains steadfast in his belief that the Power 5 conference champions deserve a guaranteed spot in an expanded playoff -- a view vehemently opposed by many others in the room.

I find it boggling that happens to be the hangup. The worst version of the proposed playoff, from the perspective of a potential P5 conference champion, is the one where the top six conference champions get auto-bids. The chances that not one but two G6 leagues spit out teams more highly ranked than a Big Ten champ has to be unfathomably remote. (The ACC… okay, I see the concern.) Not only would a Big Ten West school have to win the league but they'd have to get stuck behind two G5 teams even after vanquishing OSU/Michigan/PSU in the title game. I don't get it.

Sign a contract, disband a committee. Kirk Ferentz got a new contract and bang:

IOWA CITY — A year and a half after the University of Iowa Athletics Department formed an alumni advisory committee in the wake of players alleging the football program fostered a culture of racism and bullying, head coach Kirk Ferentz last week abruptly dissolved the volunteer group.

“I have come to a decision that this is an appropriate time to dissolve our committee as it stands currently,” Ferentz wrote in a Tuesday email to the 10-member group of football alumni who have worked since summer 2020 to improve the program’s culture. “As we start a new calendar year and prepare to move forward with our preparation for the 2022 season, I am giving thought to how we restructure the committee/board in a way that best serves our program moving forward.”

Ferentz’s decision to dissolve the group came after a contentious meeting Oct. 18 and after committee chair David Porter, former Hawkeye offensive lineman, suggested to the group in a chain of text message Jan. 2 that it’s time to “bring in a new head football coach, football staff, and athletic director.”

I suppose the thing that says "fire this guy" is not really going to stick around after the guy does not get fired and instead gets a 7 million dollar contract.

Not having any of your complaints. Minnesota (and former Michigan) goalie Jack Lafontaine signed with his NHL team midseason once the Hurricanes had four goalies go out injured. This has caused consternation amongst the college hockey coaching community, and the 'Canes goaltending coach is having none of that:

“It’s been comical, reading some of the backlash,” Muzzatti says. “Quite frankly, there’s a lot of people pissed. All these college coaches. It’s like, cry me a river. How about we talk about what these college coaches are doing to kids in hockey? They overcommit. A lot of schools have seven spots and offer 14 kids, then they just weed them out. Some schools will just cut a bunch of guys for no reason.

“They’ve made it sound like (us signing LaFontaine) was the greatest offense ever, but these guys are looking out for themselves. I don’t think they look out for the kids enough, quite honestly. I played college hockey too, and it was a great experience, but let’s not kid ourselves here.”

Yeah! And the Midwest regional is in Allentown, Pennslyvania for the fiftieth consecutive year!

Etc.: Interesting article at the Athletic about what happened to Pitt basketball. Michigan-Ohio State was not competitive enough to make Bill Connelly's list of the top 100 games of the year. Ah well. Dad items. Don't click here.

Comments

Kilgore Trout

January 19th, 2022 at 3:34 PM ^

The ticket selling thing is interesting.

  1. When universities try to squeeze every ounce out of money out of people, I don't have an issue with someone trying to play the game back.
  2. That being said, it sucks when brokers buy up a ton of tickets and a normal person can't get them for a reasonable price.
  3. I know the lower bowl at Crisler has been a long time Ace / mgoblog complaint, but I just don't believe there is this demand for tickets that is being unmet because people aren't using their tickets. Last night there were 100s of $6 tickets available and the arena was half full. Maybe I'm wrong, but I just don't buy that there are a bunch of people saying I want to go to this game tonight and I'll pay $40 to sit in the lower bowl but $6 in the upper bowl is beneath me, I'm staying home. Just wait until next Tuesday for that 9pm game against Nebraska and I bet very low priced lower bowl tickets will go unsold. 

SysMark

January 19th, 2022 at 4:01 PM ^

A few years I was in from out of state and wanted to go to a game.  There were a few on StubHub and I bought two lower bowl.  All the seats around me were empty and none of them had been listed for sale.  I assume those were season ticket holders who didn't go and didn't bother trying to sell them.  There should be an easy place to send them back through the ticket office - those sections might at least look better.

SysMark

January 19th, 2022 at 4:32 PM ^

It was Iowa on a Saturday afternoon so not a terrible game.  And if I recall correctly much of the upper bowl was pretty full.  Probably half the section I was in was empty, including my entire row.  It was annoying because I paid a pretty good amount -  seemed like there was a better way to deal with those tickets.

True Blue Grit

January 19th, 2022 at 5:24 PM ^

Well, I'm one of those people who won't buy a ticket for a game if I have to sit in the maize, upper seats.  I much prefer the blue seats and am willing to pay a lot more than $6.  The problem is that a lot of those seats are overpriced partly because of the supply being low.  At least the last time I looked.  Maybe this year it's better.

gbdub

January 19th, 2022 at 4:17 PM ^

I think the point is that the lower bowl tickets ought to be sold for $6 if they will otherwise be empty, so that there aren't empty seats on TV and the game feels loud and packed. Same number of people in the building, but an improved atmosphere.

Season ticket holders won't (and clearly aren't) selling those tickets, likely because the tickets won't move at or near face value and setting them cheap enough to move isn't worth the effort because StubHub fees make the ticket holder's take effectively zero. 

If season ticket holders had a way to say "I release this ticket, not gonna use it and not worth selling", the school could do something with it better than letting it be empty. Maybe a standby window to sell the tickets cheap on the day of the game. Or people in nosebleeds could apply for an "upgrade" list where their party could be given lower bowl tickets day-of for a nominal fee if any are available. 

Leatherstocking Blue

January 20th, 2022 at 8:57 AM ^

I attended a Miami (NTM) hockey game (so YTM since it is hockey), and students get in free with an ID and fill the student section. When those seats are filled, the remaining students fill in the empty seats at some point during the first period. So while I paid $35 a ticket, the empty seats (which were not available when I purchased my tickets) were filled with students. If at a certain point a ticket holder arrived late, the students had to move to find another empty seat.

Let the school make money on the TV rights, but I'm all for a first come, first served filling of the lower section. At least experient with filling the empty seats with students.

SDCran

January 19th, 2022 at 7:02 PM ^

I had basketball tickets for years.   I never left a ticket unused.  I had (a pretty small) list of people I would let know that I couldn’t go and give them away.   How lazy, and I would say rude, to eat the ticket.  
 

(only game I ever just punted on was the famous Purdue ice/mud 5-0 football game …and I don’t feel bad about that one )

Mi Sooner

January 19th, 2022 at 7:33 PM ^

(only game I ever just punted on was the famous Purdue ice/mud 5-0 football game …and I don’t feel bad about that one )
 

chicken!!!  I was at that game with my aunty.  Couldn’t feel my feet until Wednesday. There might have been 50k at the game.
Mercury Hays bodysurfed in a large puddle in front of us. He broke through a layer of ice. 

UMinSF

January 19th, 2022 at 3:40 PM ^

I wonder if the ACC/B1G insistence on guaranteed playoff spots is more due to a fear that multiple SEC teams will be included ahead of them - not so much schools outside the P5.

For example, if the playoff were 8 schools, it's entirely possible 'bama, Georgia, and LSU/FL/A&M would make the playoff, along with ND and/or some other non P5 school. When Oklahoma and UT join, the SEC could easily claim 4 spots. That leaves other P5 conferences out - bad enough in a 4 team playoff, but really embarrassing with 8 (even more likely if the number is 6).

Of course, the easy solution is to make winning your conference a requirement -but the SEC would never agree to that. So, the next best alternative is a guaranteed spot for each P5 conference (and perhaps some max limit per conference - again, good luck getting the bloated SEC to agree).

If the ACC/B1G/Pac12 "alliance" has any power at all, it's as a counterweight to SEC hegemony. 

DonAZ

January 19th, 2022 at 3:47 PM ^

This is what I was thinking.  If the playoffs are going to be expanded, the idea of "insuring the best X teams get in" has to be set aside in favor of the conference champions.  I, like you, think the B1G and ACC's insistence on this is to put up a firewall against the SEC putting in two, three, perhaps even four teams. 

It would surprise me not at all to learn the holdout to the insistence of the B1G and ACC is the SEC itself.  For they almost certainly insist that multiple from their conference be let in, and not just their champion.  This is certainly true after Texas and Oklahoma get into the SEC ... the SEC almost certainly wants to make sure their teams get more than just one slot.  Hell, they probably have visions of four or five of their teams in the playoffs.

lhglrkwg

January 19th, 2022 at 3:49 PM ^

Muzzatti pretty much nailed it. Lots of teams play roster games with kids (including Michigan) so its pretty rich to complain about LaFontaine getting called up. I find the college hockey community at large to be quite whiny at times.

crg

January 19th, 2022 at 4:13 PM ^

Fundamental problem of having the kids drafted before they are even out of school.  Think how many people would be livid if a top QB prospect or PG was signed & pulled off a college FB/BB team a month or two before the season ends.

This is just more free agency & money chasing... which isn't what college sports are meant to be.

(And to be clear, I place little to no blame on LaFontaine... although not exactly something good for a kid to do to his teammates at any time, he didn't create this system & this might be his only shot to be an NHL starter.  The system is bad, which is my primary point.)

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

January 19th, 2022 at 6:03 PM ^

There is something to be said for the idea that a hockey player has teammates, but your Econ 201 class will chug along just fine without you.

Ultimately the Canes are going to do what they need to do, and the players are never going to turn down the contract, and all that is fine, but there are obvious differences between athletes and regular students, and the former is going to have to skip out on a commitment in order to go pro.

4roses

January 20th, 2022 at 8:31 AM ^

Pretty hard to claim this is a fundamental problem when (1) this situation has occurred one time and (2) the guy involved was drafted over 5 years ago. Yes, LaFontaine was drafted in 2016.  I know, hockey players leave after the season all the time, but that is no different than football and basketball. I would argue that the way hockey is set up is the best system of any of the major pro sports leagues in the US. There is not one path to follow to get to the top league so the athletes have choices they can freely make. They are also allowed to make their decision to go pro knowing both the team they will be playing for and the exact amount they will be getting paid.

       

Blue Middle

January 19th, 2022 at 3:54 PM ^

RE: Harbaugh, it seems like there is either something personal or confidential going on.  Purely speculative ideas:

  • Family demanding more time (NFL is less demanding in off-season)
  • Wife wants to relocate
  • Broken relationship with Athletic Department
  • UM has a "coach in waiting"

Or something else.  JH has his dream job with a presumably dreamy offer.  What's the hold-up?

gbdub

January 19th, 2022 at 4:25 PM ^

I blame him at least a little. Can't preach accountability and then get mad when someone tries to make you accountable to subpar performance.

I never lost faith that Harbaugh was capable of doing what he did this year. But, well, it wasn't happening before this year.

Bottom line is he was "put on waivers" and nobody wanted him. The Michigan offer was the best one on the table (other than taking the one remaining year on his existing contract). Not because of any unfair feelings toward Harbaugh, just because he wasn't performing at the level that would justify more.

People seem to forget that Harbaugh's pay cut was part of a contract extension package. Maybe Harbaugh didn't deserve to be fired in 2020 - but was he honestly worth a raise or an extension at the same rate? 

Warde was in a tough spot too. Basically, couldn't afford to fire him, couldn't justify extending him at the same rate or better.

Harbaugh has no one to blame for that but himself. Buck stops at the HC. 

SalvatoreQuattro

January 19th, 2022 at 4:56 PM ^

10-3, 10-3, 8-5, 10-3, 9-4,2-4, 12-2.

1-5, 3-4, and 1-5. One Big Ten championship and two division titles.

This is a good, but not great record. Harbaugh is closer to Elliott than Carr. Harbaugh hasn’t elevated the program like we expected he would when he took the job. He certainly has been better than RichRod and Hoke, but overall the program hasn’t fully met expectations.

If Harbaugh truly wants to coach in the NFL I can understand that. But I hope he let Warde know that in advance so he could start planning for JH’s successor.

If he is doing this as “revenge” for last year…well fuck him if that is the case. Coaching is  a performance-based business   and Harbaugh  hadn’t met the standards set by Yost, Crisler, Bo,and Carr.  I really hope this isn’t true.

JBLPSYCHED

January 19th, 2022 at 5:13 PM ^

Nick B's article in the Athletic, quoted by Brian says that Harbaugh has to let Warde know if he's interviewing for jobs, although who knows how closely that's being monitored or how it might be enforced. I suspect that won't be an issue. And by 'gloating' I don't mean revenge--I mean competitive pride. Not so much FU as You challenged me, I accepted and then successfully rose to the challenge.

UMinSF

January 19th, 2022 at 5:24 PM ^

We can debate whether JH has "fully met expectations", and can certainly debate whether those "expectations" are reasonable or attainable by someone else - but it's simply not true that JH's record at Michigan is closer to Elliottt than Carr.

Carr - .753

Harbaugh - .718

Elliott - .547

Elliott had a losing record in half his seasons at Michigan, JH won over 60% of his games every year except Covid 2020. 

Everyone wishes we'd beaten OSU a couple more times - and frankly, if that had happened his record would be virtually identical to Carr. That said, Harbaugh has FAR outperformed Elliott. 

SalvatoreQuattro

January 19th, 2022 at 5:48 PM ^

Harbaugh’s record vs the two main rivals and bowl games is atrocious. It is much more than just beating OSU a few more times.  1-3 at home vs MSU is bad.

I perhaps overstated or it when I compared him to Bump, but he objectively is further from Carr than just a few more wins vs OSU. Carr went 10-3 vs MSU, five Big Ten titles, and won four bowls a row at one point. Harbaugh hasn’t produced anywhere near that in his seven years. By year 7 of Carr’s regime he had won multiple conference titles, bowls, and games over  MSU/OSU.

Harbaugh’s time here has been a bit of letdown if I am being honest.

 

UMinSF

January 19th, 2022 at 6:45 PM ^

Thank you for acknowledging your overstatement. That was my main issue with your take.

The 1-3 home record vs. MSU is a bit of cherry-picking since his overall record vs. MSU isn't so terrible and if a 1,000:1 fluke hadn't happened he'd be 2-2. Small sample sizes make for weird stats. 

Carr was more successful vs. OSU and in bowls (though he had a losing record in both). I'd counter that Carr walked into a FAR better situation than Harbaugh - Michigan had been a consistently strong program for 25 years when Carr took over; meanwhile, JH took over a decade-long mess.

Just my opinion, but if your expectation was that JH would walk in and immediately achieve Carr;'s level of success your expectations were perhaps unrealistic. 

It seems odd to me to complain about the very issue JH finally changed this year. He beat OSU and won the B1G championship game. If you're still feeling let down after this year, than honestly I don't think there's much chance of your ever being happy or satisfied - and that's your choice, for sure.

Personally, I enjoyed 42-27 more than any game I've watched as a Michigan fan (which goes back a LONG way). So, I'm hopeful he stays, optimistic about the future and satisfied he finally beat those guys!

SalvatoreQuattro

January 19th, 2022 at 7:04 PM ^

Carr walked into a program that had two straight 8-4 seasons. He had two straight 8-4 seasons before ‘97.

Hoke left a stronger program than he took over. The mess was that he was in over his head and Dave Brandon. But he did leave a solid foundation.

My expectation is that Harbaugh compete and beat OSU at the level we would expect from a guy who took a team to the Super Bowl.Perhaps your expectations are way too low.

If you think one season cures everything…well, that is just plain bizarre. It doesn’t. He has to go and prove he can do it again and again and again. That is what great coaches do. That is the expectation at a program that calls itself “Leaders and Best”.

1-5, 3-4, and 1-5 isn’t good enough for the all time winningest program. Attempting to diminish the poor performance vs MSU as fluky doesn’t really cut it as two of those losses are tied directly to poor play at a position Harbaugh was known for developing(QB).

One year does not condemn or canonize a man.

UMinSF

January 19th, 2022 at 7:48 PM ^

First off, a 46-42 record preceding JH's tenure vs. 44-16 preceding Carr's (you could go much further back with a similar/greater disparity) is vastly different. 

I'm a huge Lloyd Carr fan. I can still recognize he took over a strong program that hadn't had a losing record in 25+ years. Michigan was solid.

I don't understand how you can't see 46-42 during the RichRod/Hoke years was a FAR greater challenge to overcome.

Hoke won fewer games every year he was here - I don't understand how you feel a 5-7 record his last year was any indicator of program strength.

JH took over a team that got absolutely slaughtered by OSU, MSU, and ND and lost to RUTGERS. Hoke's last year was an abject failure.

JH has had four 10-win seasons at Michigan. I understand you don't find a 10-win season good enough for meet your expectations - but IMO it's ridiculous to say he's had only 1 good season - and ridiculous to expect this year to be the norm. 

After witnessing how bad things can be (under RR and Hoke) I appreciate JH returning the program to consistent winning seasons. I also like the current situation we're in. I definitely do not want to experience the turmoil and uncertainty a coaching change would bring.

IMO it's FAR more likely Michigan would/will be better with JH than without him. Clearly you don't We can agree to disagree.

 

East German Judge

January 19th, 2022 at 6:54 PM ^

I agree with all your points 1,000% and odd that people can't see it.  This season was AWESOME, and I like all of you enjoyed it immensely, and hope this program has turned the corner as in addition to beating OSU, we won critical road games - which has not happened till this year.  But in all honesty, it should have happened sooner, this cannot be debated, but some of you still will.  We lose to "Tuck Comin'" twice under Jim, really???

Like I said, I hope we have turned the corner under JH!

Blue Middle

January 19th, 2022 at 5:08 PM ^

That may be true, but it would be petty.

By his own standards, JH was not getting it done at Michigan.  The contract the university offered was fair, and, perhaps more importantly, was the right thing in light of the COVID costs and other public challenges the Athletic Department was facing.  We'll never know if the contract was a motivator for the season, but it's hard to argue with the results.  Whatever hand Warde and the department had in shaping the 2021 season deserves accolades.

I would understand JH being motivated by revenge, but that seems pretty immature based on the circumstances.