If the B1G forces the issue on JH how about we insist all protected rivalries be removed?
While some suggest we leave the B1G, I doubt that’s practical or wise.
However do we really need to be in the cesspool with OSU and MSU every year?
Sure, it’s nice to play them but I don’t get my entire identity from them the way they do from us.
If we get our hand forced, how about Ono and Warde insisting on no protected games as a condition?
November 4th, 2023 at 10:30 AM ^
This accomplished absolutely nothing.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:14 AM ^
I am over with all of this signgate nonsense. Just let the NCAA and Big 10 know Jim is willing to accept a 2 week suspension, in the middle of February, while he and his family go on a much needed vacation.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
Correct. When at a negotiating table, need to be willing to walk away to have any leverage.
If an entire conference of coaches and AD's are calling for Jim's head, and Santa and UM are steadfast that this entire thing is ridiculous, a hit job and will stand behind Harbaugh
UM must be ready and willing to go independent or join another conference. It's not ideal, but if the B1G wants to lose 1 of its 2 flagship programs, then so be it.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:55 AM ^
Look this sounds hot! But independence means finding a league for all your other non-revenue sports. Not to mention the possibility of the B1G programs(even the TV networks suing Michigan for leaving. We don’t grab are ball and head home, We fight! This will pass and we will still run the B1G.
November 4th, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
I don't know if I'd say this would accomplish nothing. What it would do is send a message that something has broken, and the old traditions and understandings that kept the Big Ten together are dead.
I think hanging 100 on Purdue would be better though, especially in the short term. And we need to slap some people out of some very silly and destructive thinking right now.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:31 AM ^
How about we just not let our hands be forced by a bunch of whiny, soft hypocrites.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:32 AM ^
Or just leave for the SEC.
Michigan is a $100 million brand (at least). Why should they keep making money for the Big Ten?
And then have a 1972 US Olympic men's basketball team agreement to never play Ohio State in football again.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
$100 million????? Do you mean per year? Even that is massively understating their value. Michigan is a multi-billion $ brand.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:05 AM ^
The ACC makes more sense imo.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:36 AM ^
Sir, you are missing another 0. Michigan is not an athletic driven institution.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:44 AM ^
Screw that, if you're going to leave the conference you go independent.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:49 AM ^
Would that be too difficult, even Notre Dame is half ACC now?
November 4th, 2023 at 11:02 AM ^
Maybe we should be the other half of the ACC?
November 4th, 2023 at 10:46 AM ^
The SEC saw what Michigan did to The Ohio in the snow a couple years ago and apparently the snow gave The Ohio The Sniffles. SEC would never allow their teams to experience anything so horrific.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:06 AM ^
Are you kidding? The last thing the SEC would be thinking about if Michigan reached out is the snow. Their eyes would be lighting up dollar signs. The SEC already sees itself as a step above the Big Ten. They would leap for an opportunity to poach the premiere school from their main rival conference.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:50 AM ^
I have said a few times...ACC. All the schools are good/very good (except Clemson??), they have schools close by (Pitt, Louisville, Syracuse, BC). The Florida schools are closer than the west coast Big 10 schools for travel.
Their basketball teams are WAY better than the overrated Big 10 teams that never do shit in the tournament
Could probably even talk to ND and go in as a package and totally fuck the Big 10
November 4th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
I'm not opposed to the ACC, but didn't they just add Cal, Stanford, and SMU? That's a lot of traveling for not much bang on the buck.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:03 AM ^
Forgot about those but they fit the academic profile..but the way things move with teams never know what could happen
November 4th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
ACC isn't a real option because of money.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
That would change right away if we went and especially if ND went fully into the ACC. 2 biggest brands in sports? The $$ would go straight up
November 4th, 2023 at 11:11 AM ^
This is not a bad idea. The ACC needs star power and the Big 10 would have Ohio State and Penn State as their flagship schools along with the West Coast teams. Why do we need to stay in that conference with all those star teams? We can have our cake and eat it too both academically and athletically in the ACC. We've done it before we should at least consider doing it again. And why would we stay where we are not wanted? Give Dabo a little help too lol.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
Maybe! There would have to be a bidder for it, and the TV networks are already tapped. Hypothetically, Michigan leaving the B1G would cause Fox, CBS, and NBC to sue, so you're probably waiting out that legal process before the ACC actually gets a deal.
OTOH, Amazon didn't get a piece of the pie before, and it wants to add to its Prime football coverage.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
No one ever mentions the Big 12 but that's where I would look. It's a geographic fit, the league is already expanding and with Texas and Oklahoma out Michigan could probably name it's price. Plus we could dominate that conference for years to come.
November 4th, 2023 at 1:03 PM ^
Not really a geographic fit any more than the ACC. It actually take farther to get to most of those destinations than the East Coast and culturally we really are more of an East Coast school than a Heartland and Southwest school based on our students, alums, and our preferred academic peer institutions.
November 4th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Well, one thing needs to be said. The impact men's basketball (or any other sport but football) has on what decision Michigan could make, on a scale of 1 to 100: ZERO.
This is all about money and football. The ACC is a step down, and so is the Big 12. I can see the argument for going independent in football as long as you can find a home for other sports. But the SEC seems to clearly be the best option.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:54 AM ^
Tell the BigTen we're willing to accept exile at the END of the season as a punishment.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:22 AM ^
The BigTen has no exit fee, but a grant of media rights through 2027, which we'd have a chance to get out of.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:33 AM ^
The administration won't do that.
How about us fans just stop watching any big ten football that doesn't involve Michigan? Yeah, it kinda sucks since a lot of us enjoy it, but it's at least something we as a fanbase can do. I think a lot less of the conference anyway, now that we know it's full of dogshit coaches who never change their signals and let a low-level staffer kid making 55k a year rip them all to shreds.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:48 AM ^
Wait, people watch Big Ten football games that don’t involve Michigan?
November 4th, 2023 at 11:47 AM ^
I have a sickness
November 4th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
Good idea.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:34 AM ^
Penn State needs a protected game. Get rid of msu and osu and add them
Michigan is not dropping those teams. They bring in too much money
November 4th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
If Michigan leaves for ACC, Penn State might be persuaded to go together.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
doubt post, happen twice today
November 4th, 2023 at 10:34 AM ^
Quit drinking and go back to bed.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:34 AM ^
That does literally nothing. Maybe less than nothing. It does so little it’s almost pathetic.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:35 AM ^
How hard should we insist? Like really insist? We don’t want to tip our hand to the hardness of the insisting too early. This has to be thought out.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:53 AM ^
We strenuously insist.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
You going for the nuclear bomb of insisting? Wow.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:36 AM ^
What I don’t understand is what does OSU really gain? I get beating us is all that matters to team. What if we did leave the conference or don’t have a protected rival with them. What do they have than?. As much as we can hate each other, rivalries need there ups and down. I just can’t believe how far this has come to get us to this point.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:02 AM ^
they don't in the long run but most of their fans are not very smart. It may benefit the 3rd base softball Day.
November 4th, 2023 at 1:17 PM ^
It already has worked for him. The OSU fanbase thinks this is worse than gambling on your own games like Pete Rose or the 1919 Black Sox scandal.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:37 AM ^
PLEASE MAKE IT STOP!
November 4th, 2023 at 10:38 AM ^
Michigan has no way to start negotiating anything with the big ten. It’s literally everyone vs Michigan. Anything they try to propose will be voted down unanimously.
November 4th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
Then why stay?
November 4th, 2023 at 11:22 AM ^
Yeah I think they’ll have no choice but to leave if things continue down this path.
a strong PR campaign is desperately needed to stem the tide
November 4th, 2023 at 10:38 AM ^
Na, I want to beat them now more than ever. I will however never root for other Big Ten teams in Bowl Games, tournament games or non-conference games ever again unless they publicly release the vote and I know what schools didn't vote against us.
November 4th, 2023 at 10:38 AM ^
If Michigan bends over to the mob, it will be very disappointing. And I don’t think Michigan is the type to pack up their bags and leave. The big ten needs to get a hold of this and tell the the other programs to stfu already and stop bitching. Connors statement last night should’ve been enough to at least shut the mob up in regards to Harbaugh. The fact that it didn’t is clearly meant to be taken as nothing more than a hit job and the big ten needs to see right through that