Harbaugh Signed Off On Suspension
As per usual, we come here to freak out and make up our own narratives. So I'll share mine, based off things I know/have heard.
I think (hopefully), by now, I've proved that while I have no inside info when it comes to the football team...with athletic department stuff, I know a little bit. If you disagree, click away.
Anyway, as I said, Harbaugh signed off on this suspension. Anyone who thinks Warde Manuel is sitting around making this decision on his own...is an idiot. Plain and simple.
Harbaugh was given the option to "fight it," as many of you like to put it. However, this is something everyone came up with together after considering everything they know. Especially after they reconvened when the NCAA COI rejected the 4 game agreement. Michigan thought this was done, then that happened, they circled back, and this is what they came up with. Harbaugh was included in the entire process.
A "few" more things to consider:
- Harbaugh has said he didn't lie to the NCAA...but no one knows what he's admitted to as far as rules violations. Remember, Michigan was ready to agree to a 4 game suspension, that was well-known...but Harbaugh is never going to admit to lying, nor will he admit to it now. Michigan knows this and supports him on this, it's a non-starter. This is not an admission of guilt in Harbaugh's eyes.
- Michigan fans have made up the narrative of Harbaugh leaving (and he's given them reason to)...but Harbaugh is still thinking about next year. Now take a look at Michigan's schedule next year, look at Game #2. Harbaugh, should he return, has no intention of missing that game versus Texas. A big reason why this is 3 games instead of 1 or 2 is because if the NCAA wants to go back to the 4 game suspension again, Michigan gets credit for these 3. Harbaugh would miss Fresno St. Warde and Michigan plan to fight hard for this to be the end of it...but just in case, Harbaugh doesn't miss the Texas game. There is a reason this a 3 games.
- You can't bitch all year about Warde having no power and then claim that he's got the sole power to suspend Jim freaking Harbaugh without any official NCAA penalty. Jim Harbaugh is the most powerful man at Michigan! Think about how stupid that sounds...Warde suspended him without any actual violation as of today? And why would Harbaugh (or ANYONE) accept a penalty from a "spineless" "figurehead" of an AD without any actual NCAA penalties behind it? Would you allow yourself to be suspended at work when neither HR nor law enforcement have found you guilty of anything? Jim agreed to this...and this is strategy on his part just as much as it is on Michigan's part.
- I said, "few." Do this now and there is far less of a risk of the NCAA vacating wins, which could impact a potential national championship. Jim Harbaugh would be CRUSIFIED if *HE*, the head coach, is the reason his national championship football team isn't recognized as national champions in the history books. Not a star player, but the coach? If *HE* robs them of that distinction, what does that say about him? Why risk this playing into next year and the NCAA saying you have to vacate wins? We have a national championship caliber team, you would have to be the most selfish head coach on earth to put yourself ahead of that. And players aside, it's his legacy, too. He can be a national championship head football coach at Michigan.
I haven't heard this, but I wouldn't be surprised if Moore, Minter and Hart (or Jay Harbaugh) each get a game as HC. Spin it as an opportunity for these guys to get HC experience, something Jim has dedicated himself to...he LOVES his staff.
Last comment, this decision was made while the NCAA investigation is still happening. Meaning Michigan still can't comment. The media knows this, so it's more likely to go away. So Jim will keep denying (as he should), he can play the "didn't want to be a distraction" card, he can tell recruits he'll be back next year and this will be over, he can also (privately) tell them *HIS* side of the story and the NCAA can't refute it.
He can downplay this and make it all about the stupid NCAA and Zoom workouts and the B1G's on again/off again football season during the craziest 2 years of most of our lives. He can make it about cheeseburgers for guys who were already committed. How will recruits know otherwise?
Actually...no, this is "last." Warde's job on this matter starts now. In order for this to work, this just has to play out this year...there should be no future games missed...and Michigan should be a 2 paragraph statement by the NCAA next spring/summer about how they accept Michigan's penalties and this matter is considered resolved. Media picks it up for a day and it disappears after a few tweets and some OSU/MSU trolling.
If that happens, this went as well as they could've hoped. Time will tell.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:09 PM ^
In re-reading (something I should've done before hitting Save)...I think it may sound like it is my "theory" that Harbaugh signed off.
That would be incorrect. I know for a fact he signed off and has been part of these discussions...if there is any theory, it's related to the reasons he signed off. But even that is verified, though I'm sure it is incomplete (because I shockingly have not spoken directly to Jim Harbaugh and I do not have a list of EVERY reason he would sign off on this...though I do have, and listed, "a few").
August 21st, 2023 at 6:27 PM ^
Ok. So how do you know this? You don’t have divulge everything, but to say you know for a fact that Jim signed off on it is a very strong stance.
Overall, I think this is a very weak bush-league approach by the AD, but if Harbaugh “signed-off” on it, then I’ll back off my stance.
August 21st, 2023 at 7:26 PM ^
Harbaugh was part of this discussion in the 3 games. I can verify the posters word.
August 21st, 2023 at 7:30 PM ^
Exactly. You shouldn't state something as fact unless you actually know it is a fact. Not that you came up with a bunch of reasons as to why you believe it to be a fact. Do you know how facts work? They're verifiable with evidence. Not theories or conjecture.
What you have is a very strong belief. That's fine. Don't say its a fact though.
August 21st, 2023 at 8:47 PM ^
Dude - don’t be such a duck! He said he knows for a fact. There ARE people who work in the AD you know. I’m taking him at his word.
August 21st, 2023 at 9:40 PM ^
Might be helpful if he stated what connection he has that makes him privy to that information. Knows someone who works in the AD would probably suffice. I wouldn’t just take someone at their word without knowing what their word is based on.
“I know for a fact.” And asking “How do you know for a fact?” Isn’t some crazy “duck” move. You don’t have to drop a name or a job title, but at least give a little info so we know it’s not information pulled out of your ass and called “fact.” There’s too much of that going around in the world today.
August 21st, 2023 at 11:53 PM ^
I approve of his message.
If you're in the know, you can't tell the world.
August 22nd, 2023 at 2:34 AM ^
He straight up said he isn't in the know. He has no connections. He's basing this purely from an outsider's perspective.
August 22nd, 2023 at 8:26 AM ^
Reread it. He said he doesn't have inside info on the football team specifically, but does have info from the AD as a whole. So presumably his source works in the AD but not for the football team. Which would check out that the whole department knows about this issue/suspension as I'm sure everyone is talking about it (just like here).
August 22nd, 2023 at 10:50 AM ^
A secondhand source is about as good as reading a bunch of articles on the internet and forming your own conclusion, in my opinion. I'll admit I was wrong that he has absolutely no connection to the AD, but his source is flimsy at best.
August 22nd, 2023 at 8:59 AM ^
Reading comprehension is hard for you.
August 21st, 2023 at 9:56 PM ^
When some saids "trust me," I'm hesitant.
August 21st, 2023 at 10:38 PM ^
Nothing says “don’t trust me” than someone who says “trust me”
August 21st, 2023 at 7:49 PM ^
I do my best proofreading after I hit send
-Alexander the Great
August 21st, 2023 at 9:54 PM ^
Alexander the Great is a great Iron Maiden song
August 22nd, 2023 at 2:13 PM ^
Iron Maiden sucks.
August 21st, 2023 at 8:44 PM ^
This changes nothing. Of course JH "agreed" to the AD self imposing 3 games vs. Having the ncaa try to push for a full year, post season ban, vacating wins, and/or scholarship limits. Michigan's 4 game ban proposal failed and Warde has no spine to stand up to the ncaa. Keep telling yourself JH agreed to this when he's coaching in the NFL next year.
August 21st, 2023 at 8:59 PM ^
If Jim is definitely going to the NFL next year, why wouldn’t he prefer a zero game suspension this year?
August 22nd, 2023 at 4:42 PM ^
I think he does and while you would hope that he was included in the communication leading up to this, I’m not sure that he agrees with Michigan’s approach even as he is aware of it. As far as the NFL, I personally put his past and potential future flirtations with the league on the AD.
Jim Harbaugh is many things but I don’t think he’s ever been dishonest or inauthentic (at least intentionally). Put yourself in his shoes and ask yourself if you think the AD is supporting him at the level of other schools with comparable success.
Could the NCAA sanction Michigan? It’s possible, but I think given what we know about Jim’s character that he would never willingly admit to a lie because he fears what a largely redundant and incompetent institution may do to superficially punish his football team.
Integrity is its own reward, and while there are a lot of unknowns in this situation, I don’t think Michigan’s AD comes out well by capitulating to the aforementioned clown show of an institution.
August 21st, 2023 at 9:09 PM ^
So, apparently you have a source for your report which you failed to disclose by any attribution. This makes your reporting less than honest even if you acknowledge the primary detail, Harbaugh signed off on the suspension.
I mean this a solid report either way, well written and reported. But I find the belated acknowledgment of inside sourcing disengenuous because the story is about Harbaugh's approval of the suspension which opens the door to the reasons behind it.
August 21st, 2023 at 9:34 PM ^
I think you kind of doubled down on this.
Your title suggests a fact, but your body of content suggests otherwise. Now, you're claiming as a fact without providing a reliable source. Still not a fact.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
Makes sense to me. A bit like a negotiated plea agreement.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:16 PM ^
The NCAA screwing with a university as wealthy and well-connected politically as Michigan is not going to end well for them. Michigan can take them to the mat if it wants to. Surely the clowns at the NCAA knows this and will react accordingly.
Or maybe they don’t and they insist on angering the dragon.
August 21st, 2023 at 8:20 PM ^
Is this really true? The Tennessee AG threatened to nuke the NCAA (empowered by Tennessee state law passed to antagonize the NCAA) which is why they avoided major punishment for their violations. I highly doubt there is the same political will in Michigan to do anything similar.
August 21st, 2023 at 8:52 PM ^
Yes.
August 21st, 2023 at 8:58 PM ^
If they wanted to take the NCAA to the mat, this "investigation" never would've happened.
August 22nd, 2023 at 12:47 AM ^
Absolutely detached. Fab five banners. Stretchgate. Burgergate. Yeah, UM has the NCAA exactly where it wants them…
August 22nd, 2023 at 7:38 AM ^
Exactly. Unless there was some agreement between M and the ncaa, so much can go wrong with this. While I appreciate the posters info, unless something happened behind the scenes then this is all assumptions and somewhat of an admission of guilt by Michigan. It also tells the infractions committee that our ass is wide open. Come pound us.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
Why not just do 4 games now if they think the NCAA will add a 4th later?
August 21st, 2023 at 6:28 PM ^
Because it’s not really about the number. It’s about them trying to come back for more. And if that does happen, at least a fourth game has some logic to it, as it was already nearly agreed to.
August 21st, 2023 at 11:22 PM ^
Except it seems like it is about the number? If the plan is to insure against the Harbaugh being out for the Texas game, why not just go with 4 so that the NCAA doesn't really have a leg to stand on when they propose more games next year?
August 21st, 2023 at 6:31 PM ^
Also (and I may just be wrong) didn't the NCAA basically reject the 4 games thing? Couldn't they make it 5 games or whatever they want, and Harbaugh would potentially miss the Texas game anyway?
If they do say something like 5 games, and Harbaugh/Michigan only willingly served 3, does Michigan then fight it again, and it drags into the following offseason? At what point does the back and forth stop?
August 21st, 2023 at 6:37 PM ^
The NCAA wanted 6, and could potentially try again for 6, but a few things have happened. 1. the investigators agreed to 4, 2. This is "self imposed" which is supposed to lessen any punishments according to NCAA guideline, and 3. the NCAA violated their own rules by commenting on an ongoing case.
So I think Michigan potentially has more leverage now than they did a few weeks ago by going this route. Further even if Harbaugh somehow eventually gets 6, when you do it this way, he misses no conference games which are the only ones that count for standings and playing in Indy.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:32 PM ^
B/c game 4 is a conference game.
August 21st, 2023 at 7:46 PM ^
As will be the Texas game by next year..
(I will quit drinking and go back to bed now)
Narf
August 22nd, 2023 at 7:51 AM ^
B/c game 4 is a conference game.
Against a shitty Rutgers squad in Ann Arbor. I think UM can survive the Scarlet Knights without Harbaugh on the sidelines.
I was unaware that it was the NCAA that rejected the 4 game suspension and was pushing for more which does make me question why UM thinks self-imposing 3 games is going to placate the NCAA.
This whole situation pisses me off so much. There is absolutely no doubt that most (all?) power 5 teams have committed the same kind of violations (and in many cases much worse) repeatedly yet the NCAA only wants to crucify Michigan for some reason. Generally, I am not in the "everyone is against UM" camp but this sure feels like a weird and petty vendetta by the NCAA.
August 22nd, 2023 at 10:30 AM ^
You know he's old school. Only the conference matters (until you've won it). Rutgers or not, conference play is a big deal.
August 21st, 2023 at 7:04 PM ^
From Michigan's standpoint, the AD has said similar NCAA violations did not merit a 4 game suspension. If our lawyers feel really solid on this, then it makes sense to say "we will go with the appropriate suspension and fight you on anything beyond this."
If Michigan is self-imposing, my sense is we feel like we are in a good position for this to be the end of the matter.
August 21st, 2023 at 7:23 PM ^
What's the NCAA's enforcement mechanism to add more games? Nullifying the result of non-con games next year?
August 21st, 2023 at 10:39 PM ^
Nothing. They don’t rule the conferences or the CFP in football
August 21st, 2023 at 11:42 PM ^
That's my question as well. With scholarships not mattering, the Supreme Court siding with states, conferences running the show, and the CFP not being controlled by the NCAA ... what actionable punishment can they enforce? Is vacating wins in the record book their only real leverage now?
August 22nd, 2023 at 1:02 PM ^
"what actionable punishment can they enforce?"
They can hammer you in every other sport.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:21 PM ^
Ok Warde
August 21st, 2023 at 6:25 PM ^
I still kind of want Michigan to respond to the NCAA like many other Power5 institutions - by farting into the receiver.
August 21st, 2023 at 11:05 PM ^
Great movie.
August 21st, 2023 at 6:29 PM ^
I like what you are saying and thus choose to believe your narrative.
August 21st, 2023 at 11:05 PM ^
Confirmation bias is a real ego boost,
August 21st, 2023 at 6:32 PM ^
Of COURSE Harbaugh signed off on this...
Anyone who thinks Warde would pull this move, this close to the start of the season and risk pissing off JH is simply desperately looking for reasons to knock Warde. Simple as that.
No one who has led anything for more than 2 seconds would believe Warde would risk sabotaging the football program, in a year of unlimited potential by doing this behind Harbaughs back.
August 21st, 2023 at 11:31 PM ^
That makes logical sense, but then again I also would have thought that Warde would have been Harbaugh's first call after deciding not to jump to the NFL last year. There's been so much weirdness between Warde and Jim it wouldn't surprise me if this sort of internal negotiation didn't get done the way it would have at any other athletic department.
August 22nd, 2023 at 2:02 AM ^
Warde deciding to suspend Harbaugh without his sign off would be on a completely different level of insanity. The risk to the program/money machine would be immense...there's no way those above him would allow that.