Tom VanHaaren: "There was no evidence tying Partridge to the sign-stealing scheme and his termination stemmed from a lack of cooperation with the NCAA investigation."
Sorry for another post on the topic, but this is a critical detail that is not included in the Auberbach tweet or the original thread
November 17th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
He wasn't the head coach. He wasn't cooperating for a reason..
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Because the whole thing is a farce.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
It's not entirely a farce, but it really is much ado about something that gets absolutely zero attention if there isn't an intentional PR hit job in place.
At least it has proceeded in such a fashion that whenever Michigan that does find a potential bad actor, it immediately disciplines him. And whenever Michigan finds an actual bad actor, it immediately parts with him.
I don't really see what more of the school or the program can do.
And if this is all the private investigators and PR Mafia could come up with, I'm actually impressed with how clean Michigan has been and continues to be.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:59 PM ^
Nah, it's a farce. There's an NCAA investigation to determine whether a minor rules violation occurred. Everyone involved could have handled this quietly and professionally so as to limit the disruption to the student-athletes (that's what it's all about, right NCAA?). Instead, the NCAA and B1G turned this into a media circus because scandals bring eye-balls, and eye-balls bring advertisers. There would have been no reason for any of this if not for the root cause being blown out of proportion.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:04 PM ^
It's worth repeating, they all want Michigan to be the 9-3 team they all knew and loved.
November 17th, 2023 at 3:15 PM ^
The NCAA wanted to handle this quietly and by the rules, but a carefully orchestrated selection of "sports journalists" blared out how this was a horrendous crime, dripped out supposedly damaging "evidence," and then a majority of B1G athletic directors self-servingly convinced Tiny Tipetti that sign-stealing was somehow worse than the rape of children.
It was in many ways a brilliant scheme but the credulity and stupidity of Tiny is what really gave it wings.
And here we are at the end of the saga and there are still no even allegations that Stalions violated NCAA rules.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:42 PM ^
The NCAA wanted to handle this quietly and by the rules
Nope! The NCAA took the extraordinary action of alerting the B1G to the investigation. That is unusual.
November 17th, 2023 at 11:25 PM ^
Only after the outrage was stoked by the outrage artists.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
Hijacking this comment to point out that the ESPN article has already been reworded so that the quote in my thread title is no longer accurate. The new quote is "A source told ESPN that Partridge's firing stemmed from his lack of cooperation with the NCAA investigation."
Serves me right for quoting ESPN.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
Yeah I dunno, man. That don't compute.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:18 PM ^
Well...lack of cooperation certainly doesn't scream 'this man is innocent'
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
cobra14, here are those negs you ordered.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:29 PM ^
He's now conspicuous by his absence.
Edit: banned. He's been banned.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
Unless it was a different investigation, those two things in your title seem... well, very related to each other...
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
From Ross Dellinger and Dan Wetzel, a booster involved:
November 17th, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
Multiple sources say that Partridge is not alleged at this time of knowing about the advanced scouting by Stalions, but acted after the fact to cover up evidence. Sources tell Yahoo Sports that a booster — named in the NCAA report as "Uncle T" — helped fund the scheme, giving Stalions thousands of dollars for expenses.
Partridge is an idiot if he did this
Not surprised a booster was involved. Booster is also an idiot.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
Hahahaha the turn tables
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
Seriously this is why we fire a guy for not what wanting to help the NCAA try to bury us. Has to be more.
Edit:. I guess if he was the one destroying evidence then Chris just made a stupid mistake. Should have just let it happen. Letting a booster pay Stallions is no worse then the Ponzi scheme guy paying the NIL for players to come to Miami while he ripped off his investors and nothing happened to Miami. At least IMO a guy stealing millions from people and giving it to athletes to commit to Miami seems much worse
November 17th, 2023 at 12:38 PM ^
Partrgide clearly concealed what he did from the boss. Has to go for that reason.
Stupid mistake is frequently the reason people are fired.
WI chancellor knocks the heads and says we are all playing in shit, freeze frame where we are, and stop.
Ono is duty bound to report this to the board. Mcquade, and probably others, point out that the TRO was effectively denied already. Board tells law firm we are settling without admitting any wrongdoing,( my guess, Petty Titty threatened to ban us from title game. We could beat Ohio, they get in title game anyway, Ohio beats IA 50-10, and playoff committee takes them & not us). Certainty is they proved Partridge screwed up, enough for the head coach being responsible for staff to fly as grounds for BT suspension. Losing the injunction and continuing the litigation is a distraction for the players. UM tells Harbaugh we are settling. Is he supposed to continue solo? UM pulled the rug out from under him, he decides it is about the players, whom he addresses today on Partridge firing et al. Partridge sank himself, and JH, by preserving plausible deniability and leaving his boss out of the loop. Team has choice how to react. I bet they rally around the coach they love and kick ass the next 2 weeks. I await the wording of the settlement stip and order, as opposed to press releases, to see the precise terms.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:08 PM ^
Nope, Texas A&M and Florida are above aboard with NIL. Plus getting players who wouldn't be there or be eligible to play if caught cheating isn't an on field advantage. You only get advantage if you watch TV, or go to a game with a couple thousand people, or get All 22 film with sideline views.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
As I posted in the other thread...Balas nailed this one 100% and I'm not the biggest Balas fan.
He insinuated it was Partridge last week and was preparing everyone on his pay site to get ready for it.
He also has stated the biggest issue was him being uncooperative and lying to the ncaa. Dude nailed this one dead ass on and I've been very critical of Balas so give credit where it is due.
Balas is a bit of a doomer but he also stated one we "get through this coach on defense issue" there is really nothing left. Hope he is right on that.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:23 PM ^
Ive been critical of Balas too for being a doomer. I may need to offer an apology as the doomer may have been right while Hole and Henschke were the guys with junk sources
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
This is going great.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:19 PM ^
+1 informative title. Thank you.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Yeah, not cooperative because he was involved?
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Define “cooperating”
November 17th, 2023 at 5:49 PM ^
Telling some players who were being interviewed by ncaa what and what not to say.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Interesting, but it doesn’t settle anything. Obviously, one of the reasons someone might not cooperate with an investigation is because they have something to hide..
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Edit: Well, if this is the case, it would explain why Michigan was confident no one above Stalions knew about it and also explains the about-face on Friday.
Not too hard to see Partridge start digging around for evidence after the story breaks and then deleting Stalions videos.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
From Ross Dellenger and Dan Wetzel, a booster involved:
November 17th, 2023 at 12:20 PM ^
Well, some other teams in the conference have successfully torpedoed the program. How much damage was done remains to be seen.
But if this is how we're "playing" football in the Big10 now, I hope Michigan opens its tubes and fires at will.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:29 PM ^
and the most frustrating thing is the program getting torpedoed for something so stupid and something that they didn't need to do.
And unlike other 'scandals' where its something like money to recruits, players, familes etc., people don't generally question the legitimacy of those teams when that happens. People just get in fired or whatever and they move on. This -regardless of how dumb and inconsequential it actually is- will have people talking for the next decade about how illegitimate these few seasons have been and how M are such big 'cheaters'
November 17th, 2023 at 12:22 PM ^
Proving he learned the SEC playbook for NCAA dealings.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:23 PM ^
Can you no longer plea the 5th?
November 17th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
This isn't a criminal trial
November 17th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
Constitutional rights only apply to legal hearings?
November 17th, 2023 at 2:10 PM ^
Here's the text of the 5th Am that's being implicated:
...nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself...
November 17th, 2023 at 2:19 PM ^
Thanks for posting the text. People need to read the constitution more often, it's not that long
November 17th, 2023 at 2:27 PM ^
In his defense, a person can assert a 5th Am privilege in a civil investigation if he were concerned that the statement could be used in a criminal trial.
November 18th, 2023 at 8:35 AM ^
And if invoked in a civil matter, an adverse inference may be drawn, i.e. that the answer will be harmful to the person who invoked. In a criminal matter an adverse inference may not be drawn, and the finder of fact (typically a jury) is not even told of the invocation.
November 17th, 2023 at 4:18 PM ^
My most sincere apologies, Patriot!
November 17th, 2023 at 12:29 PM ^
Probably not to the ncaa or conference, seeing as how it’s not a court of law
November 17th, 2023 at 12:27 PM ^
We are all so on edge. I probably just overreacted too. Lets take what we keep saying to everyone else to heart and let the investigation play out before jumping to conclusions
November 17th, 2023 at 5:32 PM ^
Not going to happen..its a message board...more gossip and jumping to conclusions here than a baptist church's Sunday picnic.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
the quote in the thread title doesn't seem to appear in the article you linked...am i missing something?
November 17th, 2023 at 12:54 PM ^
Agreed. I have a sneaky suspicion the article has been edited since the yahoo announcement came out.
November 17th, 2023 at 12:31 PM ^
I see CP brought those Ole Miss learnings over real quick
Michigan, please get the fuck out of your own way.
We all know teams across the land cheat in many ways, but M will never get a fair shake like the others (SEC, Ohio State...)
So...just stop
November 17th, 2023 at 12:58 PM ^
Partridge is an idiot.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:19 PM ^
This. Did Partridge really think that he had the technical ability to remove all forensic evidence of the files AND cover his tracks? Terrible judgment and lack of loyalty to his boss and UofM. Frankly, it's much worse than what Stallions did.
November 17th, 2023 at 1:22 PM ^
Technically he took that SEC approach of play dumb no matter what. What he forgot to realize is Michigan will always bend over