I love that Santa Ono is a wartime consigliere
because it seems like it's time to go to the mattresses.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:19 AM ^
Get Jimmy's extension done and announce it today.
Michigan knows if it goes to court everything is public. They can't discuss the investigation, so this is the best way to get their side of the story out. It is a genius move.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:22 AM ^
With that being noted, do you think the NCAA would put any pressure on the Big 10 to hold off on this? Sounds like both sides are loaded with fuel to add to the fire, seems like the NCAA would want to keep all this out of the public spotlight.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:40 AM ^
I honestly have no idea what the NCAA would do, they seem to not know themselves half of the time. IMO it is NOT in the best interest of the NCAA to have the investigation aired out in public before the investigation is complete.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:18 AM ^
You're right.
It's why they should have kept their mouths shut from the beginning.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:23 AM ^
I assume that this is not just about fight, but about facts. While we've all been spinning, seems Santa & Co. have been doing their work. It's a great big step this early in his presidency to put himself on the line behind JH and the team, and I expect he's not doing so lightly. I don't get the feel that he's Gordon "I work for Jim Tessel" Gee, just mindlessly lining up behind his head football coach.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
Once again, apparently we have to go over Warde's head for Michigan's interests to be adequately supported and protected.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:06 AM ^
Warde has one final thing he can do for Michigan. Be the sacrificial lamb, he can come out admit he has done a poor job supervising (hires especially) and accept the blame. Then fall on the sword and drift away.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:34 AM ^
That is fantasy for sure. Warde has been silent, so as to not make waves so he can keep his job. But now the seas are roiling and true to form, he’s laying down in the bottom of the boat.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:41 AM ^
No. That would be effectively arguing that the Stalions thing went up to and beyond Harbaugh's level of authority.
The best defense for U-M (aside from pointing out that this rule offers "minimal competitive advantage," in the NCAA's own words) is to argue that this was purely on Stalions.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:23 AM ^
He is absolutely the anti-Schlissel.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:29 AM ^
I've been shuddering the last few days at the idea of Schlissel still being in charge during this whole fiasco.
That man would honestly be hiding away somewhere on campus until this all blew over. He'd go full "milk carton" and the only communications we'd have from him is him calling Warde and telling him "This is your department's mess, so your department can clean it up. I'm not getting involved."
November 6th, 2023 at 11:46 AM ^
Hiding away with his lady friend no doubt.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:33 AM ^
I shudder to think of how Schlissel would have handled this.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
He would've lured in the B1G with the promise of a knish.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:48 AM ^
I, too, shudder at the thought of Schlissel, shuttered away in his ivory tower, looking down his nose in disdain at the athletic campus, wondering how he could turn this to his advantage and raze the entire thing.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:11 AM ^
If Schissel was still in charge Michigan would have vacated the last 100 years of wins and self imposed a 10 year bowl ban.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
A sword day indeed
November 6th, 2023 at 9:30 AM ^
A red day ere the sun rises!
November 6th, 2023 at 10:24 AM ^
FORTH SAINRISTILAS
November 6th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
The only scene across the thousands of movies I’ve watched over 55 years that gives me goosebumps every time.
November 6th, 2023 at 11:36 AM ^
Fear no darkness!
November 6th, 2023 at 8:24 AM ^
Very glad that he was chosen as President over other options. The fact that he has been proactive on this issue is reassuring.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:29 AM ^
Go get em Santa!
November 6th, 2023 at 8:32 AM ^
Leave the gun, take the cannoli.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:34 AM ^
Wow. Haven't heard that term in years. But yes, I suppose we're in for an interesting day.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:35 AM ^
Everyone should flood his email with thank you and encouragement. Leading this effort will not be without cost. His time alone will be significant, I assume. He runs a top notch university with many needs. His attention to this should not be taken lightly. Acknowledge the man!
November 6th, 2023 at 8:36 AM ^
He's the boss, not the consigliere. Under Ben Horowitz's formulation, you could say that he's a wartime CEO.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:02 AM ^
I thought about that, but Sonny isn't a very good example right now.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
And in the context of the OP, he’s the “capo di tutti capi.”
November 6th, 2023 at 8:38 AM ^
I think Ono is standing up for us being treated fairly. Mob rule is no way to run a conference, and doing it to your arguably most important ($$$) member is a mistake.
November 6th, 2023 at 10:21 AM ^
Yeah, I think many are projecting their own opinions onto Ono as his views were expressed in his recent letter that was made public.
He is apparently willing to fight so as to see that Michigan is treated fairly in this unfolding process. That's great. Yet, he also expressed the view that Michigan athletics conduct itself with fairness and uphold the value of sportsmanship. That is not Mafioso speak... I doubt he is willing to defend rule violation, if one was actually committed, and I'm not convinced that he would defend the argument that a Michigan staffer exploited a loophole. We shall see.
Some seemingly extrapolate his letter to imply a scorched earth policy. I don't see that. I am sure that, by now, Michigan has conducted a thorough in house investigation of what was done and who had knowledge of it. Mr. Stallions has already lost his job. It appears that President Ono is convinced that Harbaugh and his coaching staff had no knowledge of any alledged wrongdoing. Should evidence to the contrary be produced, after Ono has stuck out his neck, I would expect job terminations, not suspensions. Hopefully, all concerned have been totally honest with him.
November 6th, 2023 at 12:50 PM ^
Good logic is always refreshing.
General state of logic outside of University of Michigan, fans, trusted agents, etc.:
November 6th, 2023 at 8:44 AM ^
I never thought you were a bad consiglieri, Tom. I thought Santino was a bad don, rest in peace.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:47 AM ^
If this ends up a a two game suspension next season, then it should be annual tradition and where we have assistants be HC and Harbaugh have much needed r and r and r watch game from TV for another perspective.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:04 AM ^
Like the Hanson Brothers using their one phone call to order pizza.
I have this weird 70s movies thing going today.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
I love that you had this thought and decided to memorialize it in its own thread on the mgoboard instead of adding it to pile of burning tires that is every other weekend Michigan vs B1G thread.
Bless your heart.
November 6th, 2023 at 8:52 AM ^
Agreed...FIGHT BACK the NCAA is Corrupt and Dishonest and the BIG AD's and Coaches are a MOB trying to take down UM because if its Success..the SEC can pay players for DECADES and the NCAA doesnt do much but this??? OH THE HORROR
November 6th, 2023 at 8:54 AM ^
Actually Santa would be the godfather. Warde, if he was capable, wouldve been the consigliere (aka adviser)
November 6th, 2023 at 9:04 AM ^
We all know Warde is Fredo
November 6th, 2023 at 11:11 AM ^
I thought he could handle things. Is he not smart? Like everybody says?
November 6th, 2023 at 11:44 AM ^
HE WANTS RESPECT!!!!
November 6th, 2023 at 9:05 AM ^
Warde is an overstuffed Fredo
November 6th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
Warde is an underboss. He’s Bobby Baccala to Santa’s Tony Soprano. Y’all really need to freshen up on your mafia knowledge if we’re going to the mattresses.
November 6th, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
Godfather Santa?
I'd even buy pizza from this man!
November 6th, 2023 at 8:55 AM ^
Take it FWIW, but I was told by a former sport writer for the Michigan Daily that they're coming after more than Harbaugh, they want to disrupt our season and that's why Ono is fighting tooth and nail.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:03 AM ^
I think it's been pretty clear from the beginning that this is happening because they've resigned themselves to not winning on the field of play.
November 6th, 2023 at 9:06 AM ^
Santa is coming to town early this year. And he's not happy about it!