Klatt's Take - Agrees in Principle with Ono
Klatt's common sense, 9-minute, summary is a refreshing break from what Brian aptly phrased, "all the bullshit". Nothing new or revelatory, just lucidity.
"Let's step back and assess:
- Wants rules to be upheld. Rule-breakers punished
- We must allow investigative processes to run their course
- Institutions don’t lead or govern based on sentiment or narrative but on facts. Period.
- Some “facts” have been leaked into social media which may or may not be true. This has caused a mob mentality reaction.
- A narrative and a mob cannot be allowed to force the action of the NCAA or B1G.
- Other B1G coaches “victims” want action/justice NOW!
- There is nothing to act on now. There is action within investigative processes.
- Patience, to the outside observer, be viewed as apathy, but this is not the case. It is just part of the process."
November 6th, 2023 at 10:09 AM ^
Klatt is always first class. Thanks for including the summary. Loved the point about patience. Important for all of life; often we have to be strong enough to do what is right, even if it's likely to be misperceived.
The bigger deal is that he explains not just why the Big Ten shouldn't act preemptively, but why they basically can't act preemptively unless they're suicidal
November 6th, 2023 at 10:12 AM ^
Because he doesn't want these other idiot coaches and ADs getting in the way of him and Gus calling Michigan's games with PSU and OSU. His employer paid good money to broadcast those games.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
Speaking of others, identify the schools in the picture with Ohio State:
November 6th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
That sounds cynical, like he's just following Fox's orders. His position sounds like common sense imo. Waiting for an investigation to wrap up should be a given.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:50 AM ^
Why not both?
November 6th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
Lol. And where exactly in society would you suggest we look for this mythical "waiting for the investigation to conclude" inspiration?
This is how it is. It's probably always been this way. You all are just upset you are on the receiving end of it.
I'd hope the next time Ann Arbor Torch and Pitchfork assembles it would also wait to judge, but I ceased hoping for that level of awareness out of people 20 years ago.
November 6th, 2023 at 12:32 PM ^
What was unreasonable about his position. It is basically the same position that Michigan is taking. Follow the rules and guidelines that were set up for dealing with these issues or ensure litigation.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:19 AM ^
Good point, he definitely stated that UM has strong legal recourse. I probably declined to mention it because I'd just read the Primer on Injunctive Relief and subconsciously felt it was already covered.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
Like the werewolf drinking a pina colada at Trader Vic's, Joel Klatt's hair is perfect. Right up there with his commentary.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:24 AM ^
I am a bit jealous...at times of his hair.
November 6th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Username definitely fits
November 6th, 2023 at 12:16 PM ^
Little old Purdue got mutilated late Saturday night
Connor Stallions again.
November 6th, 2023 at 12:40 PM ^
Thanks for posting, smotheringD.
You make sense too, JHumich.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:11 AM ^
Sorry, "may" be viewed with apathy. Was interrupted by the phone while posting...
November 6th, 2023 at 10:12 AM ^
The world needs a lot more Joel Klatts and a lot fewer Stephen A. Smiths (or about a dozen other names you could substitute).
November 6th, 2023 at 10:14 AM ^
Dozens.
Many dozens.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
*Screamin' A. Smith
November 6th, 2023 at 11:04 AM ^
The invisible hand giveth and taketh away...
November 6th, 2023 at 11:08 AM ^
Does the A in Steven A. Smith stand for Adam?
November 6th, 2023 at 11:09 AM ^
I wish I could up vote this 100 times.
November 6th, 2023 at 1:30 PM ^
Or a vast network
November 6th, 2023 at 10:13 AM ^
I really enjoy Klatt. Wish he did the commentary for all UM games to be honest. He and Gus are a good pairing in my opinion.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:19 AM ^
Last year he basically did and it was glorious. The man knew our personnel and tendencies like a home announcer by the end of the season.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:45 AM ^
How did Klaat know our tendencies - was he stealing signs from us while broadcasting our games?
November 6th, 2023 at 10:50 AM ^
He was spying on our coaches on the sidelines. That is a private area where only 100,000 fans and a national tv audience are allowed to view.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
It's the only way. No other way possible.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:05 AM ^
I'd be willing to put up with all of Fox's commercials if Joel and Gus called all of our games. Those NBC cunts were awful on Saturday. Would not shut the fuck up about "sign stealing". Also NBC's camera work is ass.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:12 AM ^
Almost the same thing for the Michigan game a couple of weeks ago against MSU.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:16 AM ^
I actually thought they called it pretty down the middle against MSU. There was two mentions of MSU going to the sidelines for signals and Blackledge really going out of his way to say that Michigan was very good regardless of what was being alleged. That was why Saturday was a bit of a surprise to me. That was pretty over the top.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:17 AM ^
Cumong mang. You don’t actually expect the camera to follow the player with the ball do you?
November 6th, 2023 at 11:11 PM ^
The problem with Gus is clipping. Not the football penalty, but clipping soundforms - e.g. the Loudness Wars of the 90's and 00's. Gus has 11/10 enthusiasm for everything, be it Hassan Haskins hurdling a fool in the Game, or an illegal procedure penalty in the 2nd quarter of a matchup between a pair of 3-7 Big Ten West marshmallows. If everything's maximally important, than nothing is. Modulate it, friend. Oh, and if he stuck to like... 3 cute nicknames a season instead of 2 per game, that'd be nice too.
Klatt, by contrast, is probably the best color guy in the sport.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:13 AM ^
Klatt has always been one of my favorite national talking heads. Great to see him as a voice of common sense here.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:14 AM ^
I like Klatt. Been a fan.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:14 AM ^
Michigan should just show Pettiti all these college football experts who agree with Michigan on this. Show him how stupid he is being with this suspension talk. If half the media is on Michigan’s side on this, shouldn’t he consider standing down and let it play itself out?
November 6th, 2023 at 10:24 AM ^
To be completely honest, although we are getting reports of "insiders" who are all but resigned to suspension/legal action, etc., I am not still not buying it. When it comes down to it, all of these entities, whether they are considered allies or adversaries are vying for clicks. A fizzle on this story is going to be bad for clicks.
I could end up being very wrong on this, but I don't think anything is going to happen to Harbaugh from the BIG this season. I think there is some brinksmanship going on on both sides because both sides are pissed.
Unless they have a really significant smoking gun regarding *actual knowledge* by Harbaugh, the BIG cannot reasonably suspend a coach regarding allegations that 1) will take some real parsing to determine what violations took place, if any, AND 2) heretofore have not implicated said coach in any actual wrongdoing.
It would be SUCH a deviation from common law standards of process (one that would all-but force them to intervene in all future circumstances of allegations) that I don't think they will do it when its all said and done. I think they have legal counsel who, at the end of the day, will tell them to quit drinking and go to bed.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:39 AM ^
I'm beginning to think along your lines, as well. I will be surprised if anything formal is announce soon. Insider and reported speculation will continue for the rest of the season. Maybe with not as much frequency without anything new, but the bosses will want the clicks to continue.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
Ono does not write that letter unless it's a serious possibility.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:02 AM ^
You may write that letter if you were spoken to in a particular way so as to indicate you are at the mercy of the discretion of somebody/something else, so as to lay the ground work for arms-length communication in the future.
If the sum total of what was said was "we can do this if we want but we probably won't," the letter would have still been worth it to say "no you actually can't but thanks for the meeting." It is subtle but one of the purposes of the letter is to indicate that the BIG may think it is operating as the righteous actor but they are not.
November 6th, 2023 at 1:36 PM ^
Ono wrote that letter to keep it from becoming a serious possibility.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
This kind of sounds like the state of society today, guilt by accusation.
November 6th, 2023 at 1:06 PM ^
I think the biggest issue is the lack of evidence connecting Harbaugh but I believe TP is using all the coaches "opinions" on the matter as evidence to be used against Harbaugh.
It's complete b.s. and is based off 3 OSU coaches, MSU coach and future opponents coaches having a massive stake in seeing Jim Harbaugh getting removed in hopes it hurts Michigan play on the field. I mean if Penn State somehow upsets Mich (which IMO they need a +3 turnover to even have a chance) and Michigan beats OSU, PSU currently has the tie-breaker with West records of 8-10 vs um/osu both 7-11 so Franklin will be on top of his desk screaming for Harbaugh's demise.
I live in Florida it's the same mindset down here. They only care that there's 4 spots....what can we do to ensure the B1G doesn't get 2 of those spots, again? That's all they care about. Can we get FSU, and 2 SEC teams in? This has always upset me but the south stick together, mostly.
Hopefully TP will see through this political b.s.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:37 AM ^
Unfortunately it seems to me like it's not half the media. Just the more reasonable and knowledgeable ones. The rest of the media is jumping in with the mob mentality for clicks.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:53 AM ^
That Pettiti has gone to the proverbial well not once but twice for the mob tells me he's probably not the right guy for this job.
November 6th, 2023 at 1:37 PM ^
He works for the mob though. They have a different definition of "right guy for this job".
November 6th, 2023 at 10:58 AM ^
Is there any evidence that Stalions was not acting alone on this? Any evidence at all that other coaches or staff were even aware of what he was doing, let alone authorizing it or the University paying for it? Did Stalions organize all of this outside of the UM football program control and program context? Did Stalions sign an employment agreement in which he explicitly agreed to not break NCAA or B1G rules?
If the answers to these questions are favorable to UM, there might be a big problem with the B1G suspending Harbaugh on sportsmanship or the NCAA suspending him on bylaw 11.1.1.1.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:14 AM ^
One more question: was there any significant competitive advantage gained by the actions of Stalions?
November 6th, 2023 at 11:52 AM ^
The NCAA already said any competitive advantage was minimal when the tried to dump the in-person scouting ban a few years ago.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
Right. Has anyone even attempted to figure this out in the media?
For instance: On offense, did Michigan audible more 2021-2023 in comparison to 2015-2019 (not counting the weird Covid year)?
The MSU AD and Matt Rhule are whining about player safety...has anyone run an analysis of whether more opponents were hurt per game 2021-2023 in comparison to 2021-2023?
People say Stalions was the catalyst of Michigan's success, but Mike MacDonald immediately improved the Ravens defense and has them as a borderline juggernaut this year. Doesn't it make more sense that the talented DC and a bunch of NFL level starters pushed Michigan over the top than Connor Stalions?
November 6th, 2023 at 10:15 AM ^
I'd like to say that the idea of "cheaters need to be punished" is correct in theory but assumes that the scrutiny applied to UM with this scandal has been applied to everyone equally and UM is the guilty party. I know it sounds like partisan bias, and it is to an extent, but there weren't 14 unique investigations into practices by teams and UM was found to be the only one who violated the rules around sign stealing. There was, by all accounts, 1 investigation done against UM and that's all we're going off of, so this holier-than-thou standing by everyone else in the conference is beyond hypocritical. I can say with certainty that if we went through the practices of everyone else we'd find violations of varying degrees, some greater and some lesser than what UM did, and then lets have that discussion and not this bullshit one where one school is assumed to be the only violator while everyone else is an angel.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:25 AM ^
This is why the appropriate response is hiring PIs (who somehow are also anonymous?) to investigate everyone else and then submit the violations to the NCAA and the Big Ten.
At which point, the NCAA and Big Ten will do nothing because Harbaugh doesn't coach those teams and we'll all be mad about the double standard and everyone else will shrug and tell us we're entitled and dumb.