Meet Jim Stapleton
[EDITOR'S NOTE This post went up a few days ago and I took it down until now because I feared what the outcome might be from angry Michigan fans being given a boogeyman to pin that anger on. This is not a reflection on the OP, who linked all of the information he shared. John U. Bacon is also talking about this guy. It is a reflection of some of the commenters.
I do not defend or condone Stapleton's actions, but I do recognize he is probably acting in what he thinks is Michigan's best interests. I also want to stress that one person using his power and influence to hurt Michigan has nothing to do with the conduct of Michigan or its staffers, nor the conduct of Ohio State, the NCAA, and disreputable reporters. Information is important; anyone detected trying to make him into an Emmanuel Goldstein gets banned. --Seth]
A few days ago, one of the more obnoxious users on the board posted this comment:
I do handyman type work for a commercial property management company in Ann Arbor. We have a half dozen big properties on Main St. lots of our tenants are big local companies you'd know. One tenant tells me that a guy he does a business with is a lawyer who is closely connected to UM athletics, and apparently despises Harbaugh. He apparently was a big Ron English advocate back in 2014 during the coaching search, I kid you not. He was bitter that Michigan didn't go with "his guy" and has never let go of that bitterness. Not long ago he got himself onto the infractions committee at the NCAA and he has major pull now wrt their investigations, and it was shortly thereafter that cheeseburger scandal erupted.
Upon further digging, it turns out that this anecdote is in reference to Jim Stapleton, who is listed on the NCAA's website as a member of the committee on infractions.
Stapleton did indeed campaign for Ron English for a period of time when he was a regent for Eastern Michigan University:
EMU regent Jim Stapleton remains in contact with English and marvels at how he has changed.
"There is no doubt it was a blip on the radar screen during five years with the program," Stapleton said. "There was so much turmoil the last year of the program. Anybody who has worked with the man and knows the history knows that is in no way, shape or form of who he is."
He was also a big Hoke guy:
One fan did not agree, even after Michigan's 26-10 loss to Utah that shook Blue Nation again. Big Michigan booster and current Eastern Michigan University regent Jim Stapleton accused me of falling off a truck and bumping my head.
And he apparently had a hand in Rodriguez's demise:
His reach also extends to the NFL:
And just this year SI wrote a long form article entitled:
Meet the Officials Who Volunteered for an NCAA Job Most Would Run Away From
“I think this is a critical time in this industry, which is one reason I put my hand up to serve,” says Jim Stapleton, an attorney and former regent at Eastern Michigan University. “This group can really make a difference.”
If "most would run away from" this job, it makes you wonder why such a busy man who has a well documented agenda and such strong opinions about Michigan's coaches would run towards it.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:29 PM ^
Special thanks to the friend who aided in my research, you know who you are.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:45 PM ^
"We got you. Nice work!" - The Vast Network
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:58 PM ^
Now this would make good news to all the sports pages out there looking for new things to write about.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
You gotta be shitting. If it’s doesn’t take down Harbaugh and Michigan it’s not worth reporting on. No one wants to hear that Harbaugh may be a victim of an inside hit job.
October 25th, 2023 at 1:36 PM ^
Congratulations on the rare "nuked-and-then-on-the-third-day-resurrected-by-the-mods thread" achievement.
You can now have cream cheese on your bagel... this time.
October 25th, 2023 at 1:54 PM ^
Thanks for the digging but how did you get so obnoxious?
I do my best with little such recognition.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:14 PM ^
Layman's terms - This guy is, or is connected to, the leak of information and is using his position on the infractions committee to circumvent his frustrations with Harbaugh/UM?
If he's an alumni and a booster to the program, how is he not recused from investigations taking place at an institution he attended, regardless of his stance on an issue? I do not believe he thinks he has the university's best interest in mind. If what is assumed to be true, it's his own he's looking out for.
In what should be a fun season celebrating wins and player/team accomplishments, is now turning into a weird version of Maury and were all just waiting for the next thing to pop out from the backstage green room. In the words of Clark Griswald, "This is no longer a vacation. It's a quest."
October 25th, 2023 at 3:50 PM ^
Can't he just find someone to call and share these fanciful wishes with in order to...ahem...let off some steam?
October 25th, 2023 at 2:22 PM ^
I don't always agree with all of your takes eyb, and try really hard to stay out of these speculative threads, but this is outstanding work on your part. Well done!
October 25th, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
Great work Comrade.
October 25th, 2023 at 5:40 PM ^
Moms, give this man all the mgopoints.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:32 PM ^
Outstanding detective work.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:35 PM ^
Ron Effing English? Beyond flabbergasted… Objectively one of the worst coaches I’ve ever seen.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:21 PM ^
11-46.
that’s quite a record at Eastern. Imagine what he would have done in Ann Arbor.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:30 PM ^
Miracle 6-6 year featuring absurd luck and two FCS teams. Take that out. 5-40. Punting on every 4th and 1 you could imagine with - literally(!) the worst defense in the country. That’s just the tip of the iceberg with this guy, don’t even get me started…
October 25th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
He was a good secondary coach, once, a long long time ago.
Then he was promoted past the level of his competence; an exemplar of the Peter Principle. And he managed to hit every single branch on his way down.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
What's amazing to me is that this guy is trying to take down the coach who is 33-3, and has a good chance of being 40-3 over the most recent 3 seasons for a guy with an 11-46 overall record who he thinks would be better for the program. Egads!
October 26th, 2023 at 12:07 PM ^
No, it's about control. By all accounts, this is a very wealthy man who I'm sure has a history of having his input valued and getting his way. Michigan no longer putting much value in his thoughts, I'm sure, pissed him off. How could the institution he attended and is a booster for not value what he has to say? Going out of his way to sabotage RichRod and now with Harbaugh is his way of "showing" the university, see, look what these guys I didn't want you to hire have done? You should have listened to me because the guys I wanted you to hire would never have done anything to violate the NCAA rules. This reeks of rich pouty asshole not getting his way and doing what he can to show a program what happens when you don't "value" his input.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:26 PM ^
<<deleted>>
Definitely relevant information, but think I'm gonna sit this post out.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:29 PM ^
About that...
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:35 PM ^
Pretty easy to look like a good DC when every player but 2 on the 2006 defense were drafted or signed as an UFA.
October 26th, 2023 at 12:15 AM ^
This guy clearly has a habit of “having a favorite.” Check this out from 2008. Tell me if this doesn’t sound like a pattern
https://www.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/05/regent_saw_bias_in_search_firm.html
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:36 PM ^
Ok, whoever has the pictures clearly showing this guy fucking livestock, now would be the time to produce them.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:09 PM ^
That's no way to refer to his own mother. Get it???? Because he's a real motherfucker.
October 25th, 2023 at 1:44 PM ^
Don't know about livestock but he and Ron English definitely clapped cheeks.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
Research, you say? Sabotage you say??
I may be in the market for a new job in the field!
- Connor Stalions
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
Good work Brutus.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:38 PM ^
Is this one of the so called Jive Turkeys? How are you going to be pro U of M and sabotage all the coaches? Very confusing.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:44 PM ^
Hey there! Be careful throwing around the JT like that.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:49 PM ^
Mrs. Cleaver Speaks Jive
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:07 PM ^
I would probably edit this comment.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^
I speak Jive and I approve this message
October 25th, 2023 at 1:52 PM ^
Just hang loose blood .
October 25th, 2023 at 7:36 PM ^
Spot on and stand with you on appointing jive turkey status on this "jive turkey".
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:41 PM ^
owned and operated a leading Governmental Affairs and Consulting firm
lol just say he's a lobbyist
October 25th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
Between the revelation of this turd and the fact that Ted Kaczynski has been on our sideline and scheming to take over the program, I feel like somebody sprinkled ayahuasca on my Grape Nuts this morning.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:43 PM ^
Nice detective work. Thanks for sharing.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:45 PM ^
Just what everyone needs another attorney turned politician turned NCAA enforcement member??? with a power trip. Apparently he never watched Ron English try to play defensive coordinator. Ron English was the first coach I ever heard chants in the stadium to be fired. Pretty sure, it was the third quarter of the Oregon game a week after the horror.
Not sure if he has anything to do with what has clearly turned into a witch hunt. But the allegations seem to line up, so we need an NCAA investigation launched against him immediately. (At least that's how I think this whole thing works)
October 25th, 2023 at 2:20 PM ^
Well, I, for one, would like to thank Jim Stapleton for tanking Harbaugh's shot at coaching the Vikings. The obsession with getting Ron English installed as coach at a school he's not affiliated with, when English failed as a coach at the school he was connected to, and the subsequent near-decade long grudge against the coach who, most deservedly, got the job instead to is...fucking bizarre. The fact that he's this Steve Urquel all grown up-looking brotha doesn't help. And what white head coach in college football does more to boost the profile of his African-American coaches than Harbaugh? That's one of the things, beyond the success on the field, that I love the dude for.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:45 PM ^
Jive Turkey
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:46 PM ^
This guy looks like he has been forced to replace many a toilet in his house.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:50 PM ^
There's no need to doxx the guy.
To paraphrase The Office, before we do a thing, let's ask ourselves, would an RCMB rando do this thing? And if the answer is yes, we should not do this thing.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:55 PM ^
No. You fight fire with fire.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:57 PM ^
Time to hit the mattresses.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:57 PM ^
This isn't doxxing. This is all public information compiled in an internet post.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:07 PM ^
Uh, we've known his name for many years.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:17 PM ^
OK, but timing counts. Putting the guy's name back out in public, right now, on this site, in this manner, could lead to somebody deciding to do something stupid.
What purpose does getting this guy's name out serve?