I’m a little shocked but I do think getting out in front of this was a good move by the department. Surprised to say it but credit to Warde I guess?

Free cheeseburgers at the stadium during those games. Let's make it happen.

Man, no one self-flagellates harder than Michigan Athletic Dep't.

BBBBBOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I’m good with this. Would rather self impose a suspension for a few cupcakes then move on than leave this up to a dying entity hungry to prove their power who won’t let this go. If the NCAA want to pursue this further beyond the 3 games, then they’re literally going to commit PR suicide

A shameful admission of guilt. I would have fought NCAA to the bitter end.  If I was Harbaugh, I would resign immediately and blame spineless Warde for ruining Michigan football. Never admit guilt. Conservative old timers will love this and do the mental gymnastics required to make this seem like a good move.  It's not.  Warde Manual loves compliance and being a good subservient little AD more than he loves Michigan Football.

Dumb. I’m heavy on principal, and I feel like my personality is similar to Harbaugh’s in that respect. I can’t imagine what he’s thinking right now.

To me it shows a certain level of admitting guilt, which cuts JH’s legs out from under him. I hate this with the fire of 1000 suns.  

Hopefully once this is over we can be done with it once and for all. From that standpoint, I get it but it sucks that we aren't sticking up for our guy 

Pragmatic me:  I love this move.  Completely takes the momentum away from the NCAA pitchfork crew.

Idealist me:  I hate this move.  Acknowledges the relevance and existence of the NCAA.

Best possible outcome:  now try and take away our national championship.

This is a hard one for me to digest. 3 games? I don't think the infraction meats that kind of punishment. I bet the Harbaugh haters are going to relish this one. It all seems cheesy to me. I bet the press is going to make a big dill about this. For me, I just can't mustard up the anger...

Haven't been following all the arcane legal maneuvering behind all this, but my immediate take is that we effectively mitigated a bad situation but probably could've just avoided in the first place altogether if we had told the NCAA to go fork themselves in their sphincters with a rusty shiv - am I super off-base here?

It is hard for me to believe that Jim Harbaugh is for this decision.  You have to wonder if this is a decision by Warde trying to limit any damage or negative recruiting in the future but ultimately going against the wishes of Harbaugh which I would assume is to tell the NCAA to go screw themselves.  The fact that there has been no finalized contract with Harbaugh (at least publicly known) puts Michigan in the same predicament we have been in for 3 years now.  I have to imagine Harbaugh has told Warde either this is his last year or he still wants to feel out the NFL next year.  This is all complete speculation and assumptions by someone who has no clue what is going on behind the scenes.  Go Blue!

In some ways this may also serve as a trial for potential next head coaches for us, or for someone else.  We may never know but the way the program is run by the potential interims will provide a lot of info to those in the program about who may be the next man up should Harbaugh leave.

Edit: It's obvious of course.  But I meant to add that the AD may view this is a benefit THIS YEAR as well.  So serves many purposes.

While I don't like giving in at all and 3 games seems like too much, it does seems like a good practical solution.  IIRC, the NCAA voided the negotiated 4-game suspension.  So Michigan comes back and self-imposes 3 games (less then what was negotiated so still taking a dig at the NCAA but still "severe" enough for the NCAA not to take further action upon review).  And let's face it - 3 games that don't really mean much.  It seems like a smart, if conservative, decision.

I assume this was the NCAA's goal all along, and they'll undoubtedly tack on some more bullshit in 2024 but it'll be along the lines of recruiting blackouts or similarly non-game related.

This is such a stupid saga and I'm a bit annoyed UM is even validating it with a suspension.  For perspective, NW thought a couple games suspension for Pat Fitzgerald was appropriate before all the abuses came to light.  So Harbaugh and UM agreeing to miss a little under a fifth of the season because he told an NCAA investigator (who was tipped off by a disgruntled former employee who himself got shitcanned at another stop for being an asshole) to pound sand over a hamburger seems a bit ridiculous.  

This seems to foreclose a defense from Harbuagh that he did not make false statements to the NCAA, but also does not foreclose further punishment from the NCAA.  I'm hoping we learn something more that makes this seem better. 

If they'd done something lesser (1-2 games) and done it earlier, than we might crow about how Warde is out in front of something.  This ain't that.  Be decisive one way or the other -- give a cursory punishment right away or tell the NCAA that they can take the cursory punishment or pound sand.  Warde let this go on too long for my liking.

Smart move. Three easy games and make it go away.

But we should all complain how awful it is so the infants at the NCAA can puff up their chests. 

Yeah. The NCAA's gonna NCAA (pronounced "nick-ah" or "nack-ah" or "stupid!") so Michigan's move seems a reasonable response.

I doubt Harbaugh signed off on this.

Fire Warde. Fight this. Pay Jim the highest amount among NCAA coaches.

Bullshit. Fire Warde.