Ferris State HC Tony Annese suspended for first round of D2 playoffs in eerily similar NCAA overreach

Submitted by AWAS on November 14th, 2023 at 5:15 PM

Jim Harbaugh isn't the only Michigan-based head coach facing unprecedented sanctions this week.  Ferris State, the two-time defending NCAA D2 champion, will be without their head coach for the first round of this year's playoffs...for the rules violation of his players smoking victory cigars.

Jim Harbaugh won't be the only coach in Michigan not able to accompany his team this weekend

The parallels in these real-life tales can't be overlooked:

  • Institutional overreach against the most successful members
  • Unprecedented sanctions targetting head coaches 
  • Suspension for games against bitter rivals

To be fair, the NCAA had no way of knowing that Ferris would face Grand Valley St. in round one of the D2 playoffs--or did they???  I'm not one to embrace conspiracy theories, but the similarities make me wonder if the NCAA action might have been the kernel of an idea for action against JH.  

We live in interesting times.

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RAH

November 14th, 2023 at 7:12 PM ^

This is incredibly unreasonable and eerily similar to Harbaugh's treatment.  i wish Fox Sports would pick it up and give it national exposure. It might take off and further degrade the NCAA's reputation.

(I say Fox because ESPN would undoubtedly bury it.)

Joined: 02/23/2018

MGoPoints: 7588

FB Dive

November 14th, 2023 at 5:27 PM ^

Ridiculous overreach, but also a terrible article -- what is the procedural posture of this investigation? Did the NCAA levy this punishment before issuing a Notice of Allegations and the 90-day window to respond? If you click on one of the hyperlinks, it takes you to an article from March when this suspension was announced -- kind of important information that is completed omitted from the article.

Joined: 08/03/2019

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Amazinblu

November 14th, 2023 at 5:35 PM ^

Were they smoking in a “No Smoking area”?   Was it on the bus from the Stadium?  Near a fire pit on campus?

Red Auerbach would be happy with this decision.

Joined: 01/22/2010

MGoPoints: 41304

lunchboxthegoat

November 15th, 2023 at 8:02 AM ^

this article is terrible and far be it for me to bring facts to an NCAA bashing party BUT

 

these games take place at high school stadiums. there is a strict no tobacco policy. Ferris did this same thing two years ago. They were warned and knew of severe repercussions in advance of this past season's championship game and they did it any way.

We can debate whether or not the punishment fits the crime and whether the NCAA is a pile of horseshit or not but when someone tells you "don't do x or y will happen" and you do x you have no one to blame but yourself.

Joined: 10/07/2008

MGoPoints: 4865

Don

November 14th, 2023 at 5:41 PM ^

NCAA: “Nope, you’re good, UNC—we don’t care that you’ve made a mockery of academic standards.”

NCAA: “Mr. Self, even though the FBI has you on tape, we sentence you to a light tap on the wrist.”

NCAA: “OMG, players old enough to fight and die for our country in uniform smoked cigars? This heinous act cannot go unpunished, and Coach Annese must pay right now.”

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148358

Soulfire21

November 14th, 2023 at 5:54 PM ^

I think the punishment of first future playoff game is utterly ridiculous, but you left out some context (I am unsure if this was intentional or not).

sources share that Ferris players did the same thing after their first national title, and they were issued a fine by the NCAA and were warned to not do it again. Sources in attendance share that the potential use of tobacco was addressed by Annese and the Ferris staff at the game, but two players chose to ignore those warnings

So it was not their first offense and the coaches addressed it, yet two players still chose to ignore that.

It is dumb and the punishment is unprecedented, but I was a lot less surprised when I saw it was their second offense.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

Wendyk5

November 14th, 2023 at 7:59 PM ^

I think in that case you suspend the players. Adult punishment. There really isn't any reason to suspend the coach, although it could have been under the new rule that holds the coach accountable for pretty much any transgression committed by any member of the team. Seems like a very bad and very lazy rule. 

Joined: 11/20/2008

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mi93

November 14th, 2023 at 6:05 PM ^

Doesn't osu have a tradition of a victory cigar if they win The Game?  I think it was even featured in one of the pieces about the rivalry.

Joined: 11/15/2008

MGoPoints: 30380

Tex_Ind_Blue

November 14th, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^

It happened at a high school facility. The school district should be leading the punishment, NOT the NCAA. Does it say in any NCAA document that one cannot smoke in certain places? 

Weird! very weird. There has to be more to this than just smoking. 

Joined: 12/31/2014

MGoPoints: 7705

Michigan4Life

November 14th, 2023 at 6:17 PM ^

Interestingly, GVSU and Ferris State are ranked #2 and #3 in the country yet they're not the #1 seed in their own region. GVSU gets the #2 seed and has to play their biggest rival in the first round of the playoff. 

Joined: 07/29/2010

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MaizeGVBlue

November 14th, 2023 at 7:03 PM ^

Smoking cigars on grounds where it’s strictly prohibited is.  Ferris was warned, they warned their kids, and they did it again anyways.  Obviously as a GVSU alum I think this is hilarious but at the same time if there was going to be a suspension it should’ve been in season and not during the playoffs 

Joined: 11/27/2017

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M Go Cue

November 14th, 2023 at 7:23 PM ^

It is, and Alabama has been a smoke free campus since 2015, yet the NCAA doesn’t do anything at all when the entire team and fans are lighting up after they beat Tennessee. 
The rule and punishment are dumb.  But like many other things with the NCAA, this would sit much better with folks if they didn’t apply the enforcement unevenly.

 

Joined: 07/13/2013

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mooseman

November 14th, 2023 at 7:13 PM ^

Come in here, dear boy, have a big car, just don't smoke a cigar
You're gonna fly, but don't have a burger and fries
Or your coach is gonna fry and we won't love you
Well, we've always believed in fairness and we mean that most sincere
The team is just fantastic, that is really what we think
Use your cell phone and we'll call the precinct.

And did we tell you the name of the game, boy?
Don't fuck with our gravy train

Joined: 07/10/2008

MGoPoints: 35498