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I’m glad to be wrong, but…

I’m glad to be wrong, but honestly this almost makes it weirder? Why go through the investigation song and dance if you’re gonna can the guy anyway before it really gets started?

Yeah. Pretty ridiculous how…

Yeah. Pretty ridiculous how that statement went from “I don’t want anyone here who isn’t all-in” to “if you don’t have a preexisting Michigan connection, you ain’t shit”. 

Definitely one of those…

Definitely one of those decisions that looks good in retrospect because it worked out. In a vacuum, it seems kinda petty and assholish from Bo (especially since he was probably at least considering his own exit from Michigan at the time). 

See the new Unverified…

See the new Unverified Voracity. Warde has commissioned a “culture” investigation to ensure that his ass is 100% covered before making the decision everyone else already knows has to be inevitable. The report will be as bad as everyone expects, but Warde will inexplicably sit on the results for a few months until some frustrated staffer leaks it. 

And then Warde will finally pull the trigger, too late to have a serious candidate list longer than one or two names, so he doesn’t have to risk getting second guessed on that choice either. 

So, commissioning an…

So, commissioning an investigation of the culture. That worked out so well for the hockey team. Guess we’ll get a decision in 6 months when somebody leaks the report and it’s as bad as everyone assumed it would be. 

If Brian Cook had wished on a monkey’s paw to have Dave Brandon replaced as AD, the result would be indistinguishable from Warde Manuel. Brandon insisted on “innovating” what didn’t need it, Manuel insists on standing by in a time of upheaval. Absolute refusal to make tough calls without 100% ass-coverage. 

Can someone please explain…

Can someone please explain the Buddy Ryan reference for those of us younger than Craig?

Yes. Given how much the…

Yes. Given how much the claim is being made that losing your RB coach can indicate a culture problem, it would nice to have some assurances that losing Hart was not a culture problem.

Hart was by all reports a good recruiter, good coach, and you’d expect him to be a Michigan lifer. He has no clear landing spot. There are no Sanderson style rumors out there and I’m not suggesting any direct parallel, but this is a similar level of “really surprised they let that guy go”. Tell my worried fan brain why I shouldn’t be concerned. 

He could probably take Will…

He could probably take Will Smith in a slap fight. Got the reach if nothing else. 

He looked great in the…

He looked great in the combine drills, and faster than I expected. 

https://mgoblog.com/content…

https://mgoblog.com/content/report-josh-gattis-accept-miami-oc-job

Remember when Seth was all-in on Gattis being Actually Good and the best coach-in-waiting option for Michigan if/when Harbaugh bailed? And not-so-subtly hinted that anyone that disagreed was probably kinda racist?

There’s a take that has aged like the whole milk Jim forgot to take with him to LA. 

Glad we dodged that bullet and got Sherrone instead. 

You remember that Michigan…

You remember that Michigan offered 4, and the NCAA said that wasn’t enough, right? Weird definition of caving. 

That was against the B1G 

That was against the B1G 

Harbaugh was literally the…

Harbaugh was literally the only one he was wrong about, and that was hardly a screaming hot take at the time. 

Plus I don’t know how much credit Warde should really get for not firing him - I got the impression Michigan basically couldn’t afford his buyout in the COVID year, so the “pay cut” contract was basically a “welp, if some NFL team wants to take you off my hands, more the better” compromise. 

I actually don’t think the…

I actually don’t think the NCAA was pulling the strings on Signgate. The B1G got most of their info direct from the PIs and went ballistic on their own, the NCAA was purely in react mode and I think they would have preferred to let the whole thing blow over and be another “blah blah L2 violations” offseason story. 

Michigan wrote a similarly…

Michigan wrote a similarly bold letter to the B1G after the Pettiti suspension. 

The version of that letter criticizing the NCAA for uh, having rules about scouting would sound a lot less good. 

So did Jim. He had a…

So did Jim. He had a separate suit. 

Why on earth would they “fold” at the last minute unless they got some sort of late breaking info that made the prospects look grim (which we know they got at least some of, because Partridge happened)?

They wouldn’t. The “Michigan folded at the last second, after dumping a ton of money and public reputation into defending Harbaugh, for no reason except that Warde is best buddies with Stapleton” narrative has never made sense. 

Unionized players could get…

Unionized players could get cuts of TV revenue - that’s gonna be a more sustainable deal than constantly hitting up boosters for 6 or 7 figures. 

Warde Manuel is not the…

Warde Manuel is not the Attorney General of Michigan, and frankly “NIL rules violate antitrust” is an actual legal argument while “we don’t like NCAA rules about dead periods and scouting because we got caught breaking them” is not. I don’t think the situations are all that analogous. 

(I think we had a better case against the B1G, but in that case the University DID seem very willing to fight until the Partridge stuff came out and made the downside risk higher). 

First, you have a very weird…

First, you have a very weird definition of “doing nothing”.

Second, arguing that NIL rules are an antitrust issue at least has a chance in hell of succeeding. Arguing that the NCAA does not have the authority to make rules about scouting does not. 

Okay, you can’t share that…

Okay, you can’t share that anecdote without a link to the bad take and the Brian takedown. 

Nice piece, and I really appreciate bringing in these diverse voices for a retrospective. 

Perhaps Harbaugh should look…

Perhaps Harbaugh should look to his own employees, Partridge and Stalions, who emphatically put him in a situation where his back was in danger. 

I’m really wondering what y…

I’m really wondering what y’all think should have happened, exactly. Michigan just says “fuck you” and trots out Harbaugh despite a suspension from the NCAA and/or the league? Just ignore whatever show cause penalties the NCAA might impose on Harbaugh and the University? Sue the NCAA for having scouting and recruiting dead period rules? How do you suppose that would have gone? What, exactly is the plausible endgame that is positive for Michigan? And all for a coach that made it clear that despite his professed and genuine love for Michigan, Michigan was ultimately “Option B” for him as long as his trophy shelf had a Lombardi sized hole?

Acker’s duties are to the University. Jim Harbaugh needs to do what’s best for himself and his family. It’s unfortunate that the NCAA helped create a situation where those interests were to some degree incompatible, but shit happens. 

Just because it’s CYA doesn…

Just because it’s CYA doesn’t mean it’s false. 

 

Partridge’s misdeeds came to…

Partridge’s misdeeds came to light and they worried things would get worse, even with a TRO. 

That explanation makes way the hell more sense then the University dumping a couple weeks worth of high class lawyer time into the case just to pull the rug from under Harbaugh at the last moment. 

I’m not sure why people are so reluctant to take the obvious explanation. 

“Some people were born on…

“Some people were born on third base and think they hit a triple”

That second part is the problem, as even a Buckeye should be smart enough to know. 

I doubt Moore is going to start running his mouth about hanging a hundred on OSU (something Day has notably failed to do, cumulatively, since he said that) 

Confirmed on Michigan…

Confirmed on Michigan socials:

 

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/GkPvNtYfnzV86oz3/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Warde makes a bad satement: …

Warde makes a bad satement: “What an idiot, Warde is a buffoon!”

Warde makes no statement: “Where is Warde? He needs to get off his fat ass and lead!”

Warde makes good statement: “Clearly just covering his ass”. 

He took a base pay cut that…

He took a base pay cut that was made up for in incentives. After he had gone 2-4 and managed a team that looked completely disorganized and dispirited, after he had given up  56 and 62 points to OSU the preceding two years. And “keep your current contract for the remaining year” was on the table. 

The 2020 pay cut was not some cosmic injustice. If Harbaugh blames it all on Warde and doesn’t take any personal responsibility… that does not make me think better of Harbaugh. 

I think that’s right, but it…

I think that’s right, but it almost makes it worse - he wanted his immunity and salary bump immediately, but delay the only bone he threw to Michigan (slightly increased buyout). 

There was literally zero upside for Michigan in signing that contract - they were taking a ton of extra liability and getting nothing in return, least of all any guarantee that Harbaugh would stay. 

2. Yeah, now that he’s gone,…

2. Yeah, now that he’s gone, I think people really need to honestly evaluate the role Harbaugh played in the trouble Harbaugh had here. 

Yeah, Burgergate was Grade A bullshit… but Harbaugh made it worse by thumbing his nose at the NCAA. 

Yeah, Harbaugh wasn’t directly involved in Signgate - but he did hire ultra-weirdo Stalions and his manifesto, and then turned him loose with minimal oversight into a rules gray area. 

Yeah, the University abandoned their suit against the B1G, but only after Harbaugh’s man Partridge torpedoed the “we’re all innocent but Stalions” defense by breaking the first rule of being under investigation. 

Harbaugh is obviously a great coach and Michigan Man, but there’s clearly a cost of keeping him around that seems to follow him wherever he goes. 

Note that nobody in the NFL…

Note that nobody in the NFL wanted him in 2020 either. 

Because this was always a…

Because this was always a very hard ask from Harbaugh. Immunity in return for nothing, basically (relative to his existing contract) - Harbaugh wouldn’t even agree to a buyout increase until after NFL hiring season.  
 

I can see it taking a couple weeks to find a compromise version of “immunity” that was fair to both parties. 
 

I suspect it being a hard ask was the point. Everyone saying the leak about Michigan’s princely contact offer being ass covering… well, so were all the Harbaugh camp leaks about “just wanting to feel the love”. 

Both sides wanted to blame the other, but this was always about Harbaugh wanting the NFL. 

Narrator: it wasn’t true (or…

Narrator: it wasn’t true (or at least, not as simple as described)

Honestly, all this does is…

Honestly, all this does is confirm JUB is in the “carrying water for the Harbaugh camp” crowd. 

These were always tough asks. Combined with the “no buyout until NFL hiring season is over” clause, it’s clear Michigan was always the backup plan. 

If you want to blame anyone…

If you want to blame anyone other than Jim, blame the NCAA for their insane vendetta.

Unfortunately, the Jim/NCAA relationship was toxic, and that added serious liability to keeping him. It’s nuts that everyone around here wants to completely ignore that. 

Bando is right. It was…

Bando is right. It was Partridge. The U didn’t set a bunch of lawyer money on fire just to tease Harbaugh. New shit came to light that threatened to make things worse. Jim failed to control his staff. 

He got suspending for…

He got suspending for pissing off the NCAA, who planned to suspend him for even longer (and still probably would). Is the NCAA stupid? Yes. Is a 3 game suspension in the weakest noncon ever worth making things worse over? No. 

Because nobody in the NFL…

Because nobody in the NFL wanted him until after he started winning again. That’s what started the talk, not Harbaugh having temporary amnesia about wanting to win a Lombardi. 

Funny how Harbaugh made a…

Funny how Harbaugh made a bunch of obviously super challenging to meet demands, including one that his buyout not go up until after NFL hiring season, right before he started going on interviews. 

Moore is clearly the guy…

Moore is clearly the guy Harbaugh trusted most, and HC is not the same job as a coordinator (I suspect Moore might be a better HC than OC). 

The players trust him, most importantly. Continuity is good, especially with the best alternative candidates already off the market. 

I look at Moore as a no brainer: if he works, he keeps the Harbaugh train rolling for somewhere between 10 and 30 years. If he doesn’t, he gives the next guy a chance to start with a clean slate instead of being the guy under the Harbaugh shadow.

If you don’t promote Moore, you probably lose a ton of players and the culture, and you’ll constantly have the “why didn’t you hire the legendary coach’s preferred successor” crowd causing a ruckus (hi, Stapleton). 

Nope he just missed two…

Nope he just missed two passes that would have been first downs or a TD (I don’t actually have a dog in this fight but man, he had dudes open, can’t just blame the kicker when it’s not his fault you were in 4th and long)

What about player safety?…

What about player safety? Better, faster players hitting? Clearly a huge risk to innocent student athletes!

We’ll probably get it going…

We’ll probably get it going just in time for the NCAA to start cracking down on it, like they just did to FSU. 

Yeah, it’s not like he…

Yeah, it’s not like he promised to stop doing this or anything…

We’ve got one team that wins…

We’ve got one team that wins every game, turns who-dat recruits into stars, and has an excellent, unselfish team and staff culture. 

We’ve got another team that finds creative new ways to lose every week, has been less than the sum of its parts for a few years now, and has a crap culture with staff nearly coming to blows with each other. 

So of course the former is the one where we’ll be conducting a coaching search this offseason…

You can coach (unless…

You can coach (unless suspended, which the show cause would probably come with a suspension, not necessarily for the full length). But it (as of this year) automatically imposes some penalties on the school that employs you, and basically puts them on double secret probation such that any further violations get harsher punishments. 

He’s not the only coach with…

He’s not the only coach with a national championship to his name. He’s the only coach demanding these terms. 

Remember when we all laughed at OSU because their AD said “I just hope [Tressel] doesn’t fire ME!”? Now Harbaugh is demanding that treatment and you want to give it to him. 

He’s not on the fence. He…

He’s not on the fence. He wants to go to the NFL, but isn’t getting the offers.

The first suspension was 3…

The first suspension was 3 games because the NCAA turned down 4. The second suspension they were in the midst of fighting and the Partridge screwed the pooch. 

I actually don’t think he…

I actually don’t think he has much leverage, honestly. 

He’s made it clear that he wants to go to the NFL as his option A, and will do so as soon as he gets a good offer, so his “give me what I want or I leave” leverage is gone - Michigan’s offer clearly has little bearing on whether he stays. 

At the same time, he doesn’t actually have a good NFL offer in hand, and has failed to get one in two tries already. If he doesn’t get one, his current deal with Michigan is already his best option. 

So what is Michigan’s incentive to offer up anything crazy? If The Shield comes calling, he’s gone. If it doesn’t, he’ll stay even without these guarantees.