Big Ten Suspends Harbaugh Through OSU, Michigan to Seek Restraining Order
They waited until 3:50 PM (ESPN got a 30-minute advance), on the court holiday, on the Friday before the thus-far biggest game of the season. But the Big Ten is indeed going through with its plan to suspend Harbaugh, at least from the sideline, through the Ohio State game.
Sources: The Big Ten is expected discipline Michigan for the in the in-person scouting and ongoing sign stealing investigation and will prohibit Jim Harbaugh from being on the sideline until the conclusion of the regular season. He will be allowed to coach during the week.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 10, 2023
The Big Ten's servers are getting slammed right now but former student president Michael Proppe posted Tony Petitti's response to Twitter.
Here’s the letter in all its stupid incoherent glory (sorry for some reason having trouble linking) (1/5) pic.twitter.com/FCs0MmEfr8
— Michael Proppe (@mikeproppe) November 10, 2023
The letter includes some surprisingly recursive arguments:
- It is unsafe for the players: "if you know what play your opponent is running, then you also know where your opponents' players will be on the field."
- Signs are permanent: "Numerous coaches have informed me that signs and signals cannot be quickly or easily changed, and I find those statements credible."
- It's okay if they have your signs though: "The Conference has not received any information that any other members schools engaged in impermissible advance in-person scouting."
- Who needs evidence? "We impose this disciplinary action even though the Conference has not yet received any information indicating that Head Football Coach Harbaugh was aware of the impermissible nature of the sign-stealing scheme.
The "will be allowed to coach during the week" rider is interesting. Ohio State used this method to sorta-suspend Urban Meyer for enabling his staffer's spousal abuse in 2018, and Michigan did the same earlier this year for Harbaugh enabling his staffers' meal expense abuse. It's possible the Big Ten hoped Michigan would see this for a fig leaf and accept the punishment.
They will not:
Statement from the University of Michigan: pic.twitter.com/QcYzBZkXPn
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) November 10, 2023
Michigan will file a temporary restraining order in the next few hours, and almost certainly has a judge lined up to take it. The petty timing of this action might be enough on its own to win the injunction. Harbaugh is currently traveling to Penn State.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:20 PM ^
I usually agree with you, but not here. The Big 10 is just a consortium of schools that decided to do this together. Michigan and OSU and PSU probably carry the conference in terms of revenue and the reason why people tune in. No one is going to watch Minnesota-Iowa. I mean that with all due offense to Minnesota and Iowa fans. We leave and the rest of the schools take a big hit. We're a very valuable asset.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:23 PM ^
The fanbase is such that as long as we join a healthy entity (SEC or ACC) or create one we will be just fine. The loss of revenue will be minimal, our ability to recruit and compete will be unchanged (NIL thx). I do not care about the traditions and rivalries. They are going away anyway. What's Michigan State's identity without us? What game do they play that makes money close to the one against us?
OSU has legitimate financial benefits for us given the high viewership. But I don't care if we leave that team and fanbase behind, it will not take away from my passion for the Michigan football team.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:49 PM ^
The MSU has become pretty toxic. It unfortunately seems like a matter of time before someone suffers a dehabilitating injury from some non-football related action by one of those goons (ie twisting Denards neck, beating people with helmets in the tunnel or spearing a guy lying face down on the ground). Therefore, a huge side benefit of leaving the B1G would be to get away from MSU.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:23 PM ^
Hard disagree. This conference consists of 2.5 respectable programs and then a bunch of dogshit. Getting USC and Oregon is something, but they haven’t even gotten here. They have no loyalties and will bolt the second the music changes. Let’s be honest, if Michigan leaves, OSU won’t know what to do with themselves. The clock will start ticking on the SEC’s invite to OSU, and then it’s curtains for the Big Ten. Tony Pettiti’s legacy is the end of a conference 130 years old.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:27 PM ^
George Kliavkoff probably doesn't feel too bad about himself tonight.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:24 PM ^
Double post
November 10th, 2023 at 5:28 PM ^
We have seen the PAC dissolve. OU and UT have left for the SEC. We need to stop pretending that conferences can't be left.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:59 PM ^
When the other 13 (soon to be 17) members are actively trying to sabotage you through the sheer willpower of complaint and succeeding is exactly the time to peace the fuck out.
November 10th, 2023 at 6:01 PM ^
If you're in business with someone, and they routinely breach your contracts, it's foolish not to leave.
November 10th, 2023 at 6:28 PM ^
No idea why you're getting this kind of downvoting here, FWIW. I also don't really want to leave the B1G, even though I want the conference to collectively fornicate with an unlubed pineapple. I guess I just have spent so long with these teams as our rivals, etc., that leaving would kind of leave a hole.
Also, no guarantee that if we went to the ACC -- and MUCH less the SEC -- those teams wouldn't also start acting like little bitches once Harbaugh started beating their asses
November 10th, 2023 at 7:06 PM ^
Saban, spurrier and kiffin are WAY more “get under your skin” types than Harbaugh but I don’t remember anything about Sankey or his predecessor fucking with them.
See, e.g., Saban and Jimbo trying to out- twatwaffle each other and throw recruiting violation shade publicly until Sankey told them to STFU.
And, yes, I need a shower after typing the SEC isn’t even as bad as the BIG
November 10th, 2023 at 7:03 PM ^
@stephenrjking. +1, If you keep making comments like like that, your MGoPoints are likely to drift under 2,000,000.
November 10th, 2023 at 8:17 PM ^
Wouldn't we expect to get more revenue from leaving, instead of sharing it with lesser B1G teams? Seems like we would benefit.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:54 PM ^
Works for me. Even if we don't get an injunction, the team will be playing with unbelievable anger and energy while Harbaugh is gone, and then with — if possible — even more when he returns. No team has ever played with more rage than Michigan will, and coach will be back for the playoffs.
I know I'm in the minority here, but as long as they don't impose a postseason ban or take wins away, I don't much care. They've given Michigan more motivation than any team has ever had, and if I were Penn State I would not be excited about tomorrow's game.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
This seems obvious to me (that we'll be extra fired up and roll PSU) but that's why it makes me nervous. Who knows really how the players will react? Another reason why this judgment is cruel, malicious and unfair. It penalizes the players, far more than M.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:12 PM ^
It's the collective punishment of players who have done nothing but train and play football. It's also disgusting to suggest that those players are mere pawns who would deliberately place themselves in positions to injure other players.
November 10th, 2023 at 7:14 PM ^
With a young UM team I’d be concerned. With this team I’d be concerned opponent fools about to get rolled because “we didn’t come back for you to use a rule book to try and beat us.”
November 10th, 2023 at 5:16 PM ^
I agree totally. Come on. Make the team madder and more focused.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:55 PM ^
Dangerous for the players... Signs cannot be changed... But having some others teams signs doesn't matter...
None of this stands up if anyone with half a pulse and a surface knowledge of football spends a couple seconds thinking about it. This guy is bought in to a bunch of bullshit... And for what? The 'admiration' of a bunch of losers?
November 10th, 2023 at 5:14 PM ^
You'd think they'd make sign stealing against the rules or figure out a way to put a magic listening device in their helmets like every other level of football.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:14 PM ^
You'd think they'd make sign stealing against the rules or figure out a way to put a magic listening device in their helmets like every other level of football.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:22 PM ^
The fact that the B1G continues to make the "dangerous for the players" argument is so outrageously stupid that its hard to believe that the responsible B1G are highly paid executives. It's similarly hard to believe that B1G has lawyers that would continue to advance that argument. I can't fathom having to explain that to a judge. "How are players facing Michigan put in any more danger than players facing teams who obtained signs through methods other than in person scouting?" "The NCAA stated that the rule against in person scouting is to avoid an unfair advantage for teams that have resources to do such in person scouting, it hasn't stated that it is for player safety has it?" "The B1G has received evidence of other teams sharing UofM's signals, why hasn't the league taken action against those teams to protect players?"
Furthermore, nothing about suspending Harbaugh protects players who are supposedly in a "dangerous" situation.
Advancing this obviously bullshit argument undermines the leagues credibility and confirms that this is a witch hunt.
November 10th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
If this had any impact on player safety, the only logical response would be to cancel games. Suspending the HC would do nothing to prevent decoding the opposing teams' signals because humans are capable of written and verbal communication.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:55 PM ^
I'm ready for some more conference realignment.
Perhaps we rebuild the Pac 10 with Washington, Oregon, Stanford, Cal, UCLA, USC, Washington State, and Oregon State. Need one more...
We are the Champions of the West afterall.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:34 PM ^
ND. They already play USC annually.
November 10th, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^
And Stanford.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:55 PM ^
We got this game!
November 10th, 2023 at 5:13 PM ^
The guy that's the most angry about this ruling is . . . James Franklin.
November 10th, 2023 at 6:01 PM ^
Is he smart enough to realize this? I have money that says he's elated right now...
November 10th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
Karma is a bitch. I'm sure Frames was on the call the other day bitching about how unfair it is and without that advantage, Michigan wouldn't have kicked the shit out of Frames as many times as they have.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:55 PM ^
If I had a beef with a school as a rival fan and I could control everything, this is exactly how I would do it. If I was Big Ten President I would laugh at the notion of suspending a coach before NOA are even presented? What kind of career suicide did that guy commit?
November 10th, 2023 at 4:56 PM ^
Once again Michigan being treated unfairly by the Big Ten.
Moreover, this is akin to "voting for osu" to the Rose Bowl in the 1970's.
The anti-Michigan league BIAS is on full display.
It's Michigan vs. Everybody.
Go Blue.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:56 PM ^
Ashamed to say I did not have "waiting to see whether UM is granted a temporary restraining order to permit Harbaugh to coach despite a bad-faith suspension imposed by the Big Ten for specious reasons at the behest of rival schools" on my 2023 football season bingo card.
Pretty doubtful I'll be signing up for a 2024 bingo card because this is some serious bullshit.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:57 PM ^
This will go down as one of the dumbest things ever done in the history of college football. A conference sabotaging its most prized asset in unprecedented fashion without having any evidence of what actually happened. Absolutely unbelievable.
November 10th, 2023 at 4:57 PM ^
Very disappointed in my school telling the conference (and then the world) that it hadn't seen the evidence when it had seen it in detail several weeks prior.
After trying to prevent the Conference from getting it from the NCAA -- essentially stonewalling the Conference's investigation.
Very disappointing.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:03 PM ^
Indeed, this post truly is
November 10th, 2023 at 5:05 PM ^
Those things did happen.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:15 PM ^
Ed Shuttlesworth = Jim Stapleton?
November 10th, 2023 at 5:05 PM ^
What are you talking about? Have you seen this evidence? Please post it for us.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:06 PM ^
troll is back.
someone ban this fool
November 10th, 2023 at 5:06 PM ^
Where is the evidence that Harbaugh knew? This isn’t about Stalions. And they weren’t stonewalling. The NCAA doesn’t allow universities to discuss the investigations with anyone but the NCAA. Once the NCAA said it was okay, they consented.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
STFU Ryan Day.
November 10th, 2023 at 5:18 PM ^
Are you high?
November 10th, 2023 at 5:40 PM ^
User name does not check out. The Ed Shuttlesworth who was a brilliant athlete and star for Michigan was on the team that was screwed by Big 10 in 1973. The real Ed Shuttlesworth would be fully in support of how Michigan has been handling this fiasco.
November 10th, 2023 at 6:14 PM ^
The league itself admits it has no fucking evidence to punish Michigan. Your disingenuous bullshit is fucking exhausting.
November 10th, 2023 at 6:24 PM ^
Trolling, trolling, trolling, keep those comments trolling, ED S!
(to the tune of Rawhide)
November 10th, 2023 at 7:23 PM ^
Not negging you, but you are accepting Petitti's characterization of Michigan's argument as fact, when much of the rest of his letter is well-stocked with straw men and cherry-picked quotes. As I understand it, the University has seen the evidence that the NCAA has chosen to give to it. That's not necessarily all of the evidence.
November 10th, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^
What do you mean “my school”?!
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