Signgate The Ninth: Waiting
The narrative begins to turn. Finally we have some takes in the media that properly contextualize the seriousness of The Worst Scandal In The History Of The Big Ten. I recommend the entirety of this Dan Wetzel piece:
In Michigan’s case, the “advanced scouts” were Stalions’ band of iPhone-toting buddies.
In Purdue’s case, the “advanced scouts” were the professional coaching staffs of two other Big Ten teams that had just played the Wolverines, and thus could battle-test the signs they stole as accurate.
Which would you rather have? Raw cell phone footage that still needs to be broken down, or highly experienced coaches just handing over their work?
Everyone would choose the Purdue option.
Even if Ohio State and Rutgers acquired Michigan signs via NCAA-legal game film or during game action, it doesn’t matter. Purdue didn’t do that work. The Boilermakers received stolen signs from advanced scouting. They cheated as much as Michigan.
Wetzel was properly incredulous about Tony Petitti's reported statements on his podcast with Pat Forde, and since Forde has been one of the media's leading hanging judges I appreciate this exchange:
Wetzel: “How could anyone be the commissioner of a major conference and take this and say that?
— Clayton Sayfie (@CSayf23) November 8, 2023
“How does somebody say that? That’s going to show up in a lawsuit. I don’t get it. Somebody make that statement make sense to me.”
Petitti's tenure as commissioner is going to be short. Next time hire someone who knows things about sports and have the TV guy be second in command. Also recommended: the discussion at the start of the Cover 3 podcast:
People who think this is a big deal are dwindling to MSU/OSU/PSU fans and guys like Finebaum who are in it for the clicks.
[After THE JUMP: decision day is tomorrow]
Why did you do that? Permit myself to quote, uh, myself:
"Why did you do it?" is going to be on Connor Stalions gravestone
— mgoblog (@mgoblog) November 7, 2023
There is an astounding difference between the apparent reaction of Big Ten head coaches—kill 'em all and let God sort it out—and actual sign stealers. The latter group is perplexed as to why anyone would bother, because there is no need to go to those lengths:
“This is not like the Astros,” he said. “This was all obtained legitimately. We’ve been really good at it (stealing signals), getting stuff off of TV copy. People didn’t go to sites (to obtain intel). We did it legally, like stealing it from the third base coach.”
And it provides approximately no advantage:
The staffer involved in decoding the Wolverines signals said he doesn’t buy that the way Stalions and Michigan allegedly gathered their intel actually gave them much of an advantage over the way other teams usually do it. Or that they actually needed this.
“Michigan didn’t have to do it to win,” he said. “That’s the f—ed up thing. It’s still about blocking and tackling. That’s why they didn’t have to do it. They’re really talented. They are better than Penn State, and they are better than Ohio State. They can legitimately win it all.”
Connor Stalions went to great effort to break NCAA rules and should be given a show cause. Michigan's program benefited from this in almost no way whatsoever and should be left alone to beat heads in.
Looks like we're D-1. Tony Petitti is widely expected to do whatever he's going to do tomorrow. Josh Henschke and Sam Webb both make it sound like the previous draconian punishments—suspending Harbaugh until the NCAA investigation finishes was floated—are unlikely. Webb headlined his latest piece "Punishment talks progressing, but not enough." Petitti can issue a two-game suspension without escalating it to the Big Ten ADs, and that sounds like what he's going to attempt.
All indications are that if Petitti does levy a suspension Michigan is going to court. They've has hired a law firm that I've never heard of but people who have are like "oh dang really?"
Michigan hired probably the #1 law firm there is for this. Some small alums from WC include: Prominent alumni of the firm include:
— John Berry, Esq. (@JohnBerryDC) November 8, 2023
Elena Kagan, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Brett Kavanaugh, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Gregory…
FAFO time. Rittenberg and Murphy have an article at ESPN that seems fairly well informed about what Michigan will argue:
Michigan likely will argue that the Big Ten had agreed to monitor the NCAA investigation and await its results, and only intervened as a response to pressure from competitors within the conference. The Big Ten did not initiate its own investigation, which the sportsmanship policy allows, and has essentially been relying on information from various sources during an ongoing external probe. The information about Michigan only surfaced weeks ago, and college athletics have a long history of much more serious infractions that have taken much longer to be resolved. …
The league's own handbook also could be cited in the defense for Michigan/Harbaugh. In the "Enforcement Policies and Procedures" section, there is a heading for "NCAA Initiated Cases." The handbook notes that the Big Ten's Compliance and Reinstatement Committee, not the commissioner, would review any potential NCAA violations by one of its members.
The entry reads: "Where the NCAA initiates a preliminary or official inquiry with a member university the Conference will cooperate with university and NCAA representatives in the processing of that case through the normal NCAA investigation, hearing and appeal processes. While the case will be processed through normal NCAA channels, the Conference Compliance and Reinstatement Committee shall review the case and may impose additional penalties, if warranted, subsequent to the NCAA action."
Attorneys for Michigan and/or Harbaugh could argue that the Big Ten isn't following its own rules in letting a "normal NCAA investigation" play out, and is acting ahead of the NCAA, rather than imposing discipline "subsequent to the NCAA action." The Big Ten will keep pointing to its sportsmanship policy, but Michigan could argue that this case, initiated by the NCAA, falls under a different category.
You'll note this is virtually identical to what user rym posted yesterday:
In investigations initiated by the NCAA, the Big Ten rules require the conference to wait for the NCAA investigation and any appeals to be finished and for the NCAA to levy a penalty first, at which time the Big Ten can choose to pile on (key language italicized):
32.2.2(C) NCAA Initiated Cases. The Compliance and Reinstatement Subcommittee shall review violations by member universities as determined by the NCAA and may impose penalties in addition to those imposed by the NCAA for any violations.
1. Where the NCAA initiates a preliminary or official inquiry with a member university the Conference will cooperate with university and NCAA representatives in the processing of that case through the normal NCAA investigation, hearing and appeal processes.
2. While the case will be processed through normal NCAA channels, the Conference Compliance and Reinstatement Subcommittee shall review the case and may impose additional penalties, if warranted, subsequent to the NCAA action.
That provision is unambiguous and lists no exceptions. There is no rule in the conference handbook that would allow the Commissioner to bypass the NCAA (and the Big Ten's Compliance and Reinstatement Subcommittee) because the Commissioner feels peer-pressured to act quickly.
Never get in a land war in Asia, and never get in a pedantry competition with the University of Michigan.
Etc.: Henschke reports that the weird Corum-Stalions LLC lists Corum as an organizer but Corum did not sign anything, undoubtedly because he has no idea about this totally sick collab. Sign stealing in basketball happens, too. RGIII isn't having it. These are good tweets.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:58 PM ^
A dumptruck load. Steroids, payoffs of recruits and academic fraud come to mind. Salt the earth. Would you want to swim in this pool?
November 8th, 2023 at 2:40 PM ^
Well, well, well. How the turntables....
November 8th, 2023 at 2:40 PM ^
I think our rivals are about to find out why we're so collectively arrogant.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
And why we're called Wolverines.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
Love that article. Pretzel me, Wetzel. I mean hold me. Yeah that's what I meant...
November 8th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
We did it legally, like stealing it from the third base coach.
Wait, didn't all this start because Michigan decoded signs from THE third base coach?
November 8th, 2023 at 3:10 PM ^
It took me a minute to realize that wasn't a reference to Ryan Day.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:11 PM ^
It was the runner. That's an unusual person to be flashing the signs, but here we are.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
So today Michigan responds formally to the Big Ten. So how far, formally, does Michigan tell the Big Ten to shove any suspension up their own ass?
November 8th, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
Loved the Wetzel piece! Happy the narrative is starting to change, no thanks to the hacks at the other sports network (Erroneous Scandal Propagating Network).
November 8th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Erroneous Scandal Propagating Network is your Game day sign right there!
November 8th, 2023 at 2:45 PM ^
I would be somewhat surprised if Petitti actually tried to suspend Harbaugh tomorrow; it would be a bell that could not be unwrung for what is a relatively small infraction in the grand scheme of NCAA violations and would set a precedent that I'm sure he absolutely doesn't want to deal with. And while your random S&C coach at OSU might be angry, other ADs in this league have got to recognize that if you want mob justice now you are absolutely going to be on the other end of the flaming torches at some point and god help you if you expect an restraint or mercy given to you by UM.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Just from an optics standpoint, I don't think he suspends a coach the same day the University gave a response. If he believes litigation is a real possibility, no Judge is going to be impressed by that opening act.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:07 PM ^
I actually think Petitti is going to do it.
I also think that there may be a point where the conference wants to save face and that Harbaugh isn't going to accept a couple of games in order to make this go away because it tends to legitimize everything that's been said about this issue. Talk will immediately turn to whether it was enough rather than whether he should have been disciplined at all. He wouldn't take four games from the NCAA and I don't think he'll have the appetite for compromise here, either.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:17 PM ^
I think he is going to do it too. Just not before Saturday. I think there is also a not-zero chance that he imposes only a one-game suspension.
November 9th, 2023 at 8:48 AM ^
An interesting take. A one game suspension issued early next week give Michigan enough time to react. The suspension looks like he did something, but suspending Harbaugh for Maryland would likely have no meaningful impact on season results. He could even tell Michigan ahead of time in hopes that extending that courtesy gets Michigan to back down.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:06 PM ^
I think he'll do it because he's compromised and that's why he'd risk this gambit. See recent lucrative real estate transactions just prior to his job acceptance. This conjecture stuff is fun.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:18 PM ^
Tomorrow? Maybe not tomorrow.
Might do it after PSU.
Might do it for just one game, just the MD game. He might think we would just eat that one.
I wonder if we would.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:40 PM ^
Well, Brian says in his post "decision day-tomorrow" so, yeah, I think that is what most people are expecting.
November 9th, 2023 at 8:58 AM ^
He could announce a one game suspension today, but make it effective for next week because issuing a suspension starting immediately doesn't give Michigan enough time. Could buy him something with Michigan and let's the mob say they won but might insulate them further damaging info being revealed. Might be his only way out.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:45 PM ^
Whatever happens, Petitti should never be allowed to live down his batshit insane statement about this being the worst scandal in Big Ten history. Never.
Even when he's no longer the commissioner in a few months this should follow him wherever he goes and be etched on his tombstone.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:48 PM ^
People kept saying "Warren seems pretty ineffectual and maybe a bit too much of a jock" for the job, and yet he'd have handled this immensely better than Petitti has because he'd have told the ADs to chill out because they obviously also get signs in mysterious ways and calling for someone's head isn't going to work.
But Petitti is a TV guy and so he was all about the drama and obviously didn't understand the ramifications of allowing this to amp up. It's going to be rough for him is my guess.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:42 PM ^
Since he's a TV guy, I wonder if he really had no clue how common sign stealing and other shadiness is in college football. If he let himself get wrapped up in the pearl clutching and didn't have an advisor there to tell him what reality is, then wow. Pettiti's days are numbered already. I just wonder how bad he'll screw things up before the schools or a network tells him to gtfo
November 8th, 2023 at 4:16 PM ^
Yeah, just based on how he's handled this you definitely get a sense he has been around sports from the marketing/TV side but has little to no relevant experience actually running a conference of deep-pocketed universities with teams they care about. He really does seem to be acting like these are just names you select from a menu in a game and not billion-dollar entities that don't like to be pushed around by other billion-dollar entities.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:22 PM ^
Unfortunately, TV guys and sports guys have a pretty solid track record of living down worse things than that.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:22 PM ^
Pettitti got gaslit, and I'm not sure how anybody can be confident in his ability to do this job anymore. If he does stay, he needs to come down hard on the folks who gaslit him. I'm not sure he has the spine to do that based on how easily he was led around, and even if he did I"m not sure there's anyway for him to do that without sounding like a bunch of hot air.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:58 PM ^
That's an absolutely mind-blowing statement. Either:
1) He thinks this sign-stealing nonsense is worse than the multiple sexual-abuse scandals that have gone on at Big Ten schools, in which case he's an utter psychopath;
2) He didn't know any of those scandals occurred, in which case he was completely unprepared for the job he has;
3) He's an incredible bad-faith negotiator who isn't above lying to shame his own members into submission.
There is absolutely no defense of that statement.
November 9th, 2023 at 9:06 AM ^
I'll take door 3
November 8th, 2023 at 4:00 PM ^
Yeah, operating in the gray areas of a questionably advantageous part of the game is totally worse than allowing and even protecting a serial child abuser commit his crimes in the football facilities…
Fucking idiot. That statement is disqualifying.
edit: same sentiment as ^
November 8th, 2023 at 2:46 PM ^
“‘We did it legally, like stealing it from the third base coach…’” which coincides with my location of birth.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:47 PM ^
the topic sucks obviously but it's nice to have brian writing on the blog so regularly again.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:50 PM ^
The thing I find most infuriating about "The Worst Scandal In The History Of The Big Ten" is that it's a brazen mockery of the legacies of Larry Nassar, Jerry Sandusky, Richard Strauss, and Robert Anderson. This isn't ancient history skewing perspective; Anderson's case was settled last year!
Sports has had, and in all likelihood still has, much much MUCH bigger problems than this stupid thing.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
Edit: I was thinking of a different media personality that labeled it as "worst cheating scandal in ncaa history". Pettiti's quote was only about Big Ten History - but still absurd.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:15 PM ^
Sounds like Petitti doesn't know what is in the handbook.
I was in a new position at a factory, and I really didn't know everything I was responsible for. No problem, I had help from people in the office. One night, I was the last person there when a guy came in from the factory floor telling me that a shipment of parts that came in weren't painted up to standard. So? Well, we can't accept them, they need to go back. Said it was my call. Okay, if that's the procedure. My boss is seething as he pulls me into his office the next day. Tells me the plant sat idle last night because I sent the parts back. Tells me never to do that again. Like Petitti, I was the new guy who didn't have a clue, and was therefore manipulated by unscrupulous characters.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:32 PM ^
You should add OSU wrestling/Richard Strauss onto the list. If Pettiti ever going to be called into witness stand, someone should ask him point-blank on if he has ever heard those names.
November 9th, 2023 at 12:02 AM ^
Done. I wouldn't normally edit a comment this stale, but this felt important for posterity.
It's not a "both sides" thing, these are all top-tier pieces of human trash, none of which deserve omission.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
When do we get to officially re-brand "Signgate" as "Tattle-gate"?
November 8th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
"Records show Petitti sold SeaGlass unit 501 at 1500 Beach Road in Tequesta to Deborah and Michael McNicholas, a couple based in Chicago, for $9.4 million. Petitti had purchased the 3,550-square-foot condo for $5.5 million in November, reaping a nearly $4 million — or 71 percent — gain in seven months."
November 8th, 2023 at 3:19 PM ^
It would be irresponsible not to speculate!
November 8th, 2023 at 4:10 PM ^
That's what I have been talking about since I read it last night. Playing loose and speculating should get us a Pulitzer.
November 8th, 2023 at 5:52 PM ^
Based on nothing, this sounds like the worst scandal in the history of the B1G.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:55 PM ^
the cover 3 broadcast: october numbers drop, very compelling point to add drama to get the ratings up.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:56 PM ^
Not sure I agree with the show cause for CS. Based on the Mgolawyer posts, we aren't sure that what CS did was against the rules. Even if he did, prior violations of the in person scouting rule resulted in a whopping half game suspension for the offending party. It seems a long way from half game suspension to a Show Cause. Now no one in their right mind would hire him at this point and he should be fired for working for another university (CMU) during his employ at UM.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:00 PM ^
I agree at this point I'm not sure Connor has not been completely scape goated and all has been entirely over-blown. He did wrong. But it also sounds like almost every school likely has a Connor Stalions on purpose and that is their job. So why does our Stalions get destroyed and other schools keep theirs clean?
November 8th, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
If the LLC thing turns out to be actual fraud, that would presumably justify it.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
As soon as I heard Pettiti was a TV guy I thought one thing.. Pac-12. That's where they repeatedly went. People who don't understand the actual sport and the intricacies of intercollegiate college football. Just TV. And then they run shit into the ground because they don't understand how to pair tv with the conference's limitations and needs. It's also how we got Rutgers and Maryland.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
For the ten thousandth time:
If we're (meaning Petitti and NCAA) going to insist that what Michigan did is cheating and what everyone else does is not, fine.
Make the punishment commensurate with the crime.
Stalions committed an act--on his own, as far as anyone can tell--for what is possibly literally no advantage. And at a great personal cost to him as well. (Financially, I mean.)
That was very dumb of him and now he's paid the price. (Professionally, I mean.)
For what possible reason is there to suspend Harbaugh, before the conclusion of an investigation, at all?
Yes, I know. "Fuck Michigan." That's really all it is.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:04 PM ^
I think the only argument would be the NCAA rule making Harbaugh responsible for the wrong-doing of any staff member, but that also fails because the NCAA has made no finding regarding wrong-doing.
The BIG has no basis to legally suspend Harbaugh. However, my guess is that they will do it anyway knowing that there will be an injunction. In that, they can get the heat off with the rest of the conference and the injunction prevents actual immediate prejudice to Michigan.
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