Signgate The Sixth: Nevermind All That?
And then it was fine? Yesterday I laid out what I thought was the most likely scenario in which the NCAA did something of significant consequence to Michigan: leverage the new head coach responsibility bylaw to drop a show cause on Jim Harbaugh for stuff Connor Stalions did. IMO, this is still a concern, but it looks like less of one now that ~all paysites are reporting that whatever roadblocks this investigation had put up towards Harbaugh's new contract are gone:
There are currently no roadblocks between Michigan and Jim Harbaugh to get a deal done.
— Josh Henschke (@JoshHenschke) October 31, 2023
What we know, and what we don't, about how the university plans to proceed with extension talks.
Details: https://t.co/J3i6wWGvzL
Henschke followed that up with a tweet saying that there is "some hypothesizing that the contract will likely mean Michigan is Jim Harbaugh's last job." For his part, Sam Webb posted an article headlined "Harbaugh extension process no longer paused."
It seems likely Michigan will announce a new contract that makes Harbaugh the highest-paid coach in the Big Ten, and it sounds like for the first time it will have a significant buyout if Harbaugh wants to leave. Given that he's been at Michigan for ten years and has never had anything like that in his contract, if that does come to fruition it would be a statement that he's sticking in Ann Arbor long-term.
A lot of people are taking this as good news in regards to the NCAA violations Stalions was racking up. I agree, at least partially. It beggars belief that Michigan would move forward with the contract unless they had completed their review of everyone's laptops, phones, etc., and found no evidence that Stalions's "vast network" was anything other than his personal project. Certainly at Harbaugh's level, and likely all the way down the list. The contract proceeding means that if we were going to hear about additional suspensions/firings/personnel being launched into the sun, we would hear about them now. No news is good news.
[After THE JUMP: sigh: however]
However! Even if Stalions was acting entirely on his own, there is still the matter of the HC responsibility bylaw. AFAIK it is so new that Harbaugh is going to be the first case, more or less. Anything could happen. In general, you should bet on "the NCAA will do nothing" in almost all cases. But here you've got a guy who the enforcement committee clearly hates. He's coming off a three-game suspension that appears to be for stonewalling on some piddly charges. A guy with a blood vendetta against Harbaugh is literally on the committee, and even if he has to recuse himself from this case he's probably going to be trying to influence it in any way he can.
I have no idea what the chances of this transpiring are but they're not zero.
But the contract? All coaching contracts give the school an out if the NCAA comes down on them. Harbaugh's current contract has this in the section detailing when the university can fire Harbaugh for cause:
Unless that language changes in the updated contract the U isn't going out on a limb here. If the NCAA does give Harbaugh a show cause they could fire him for cause. In fact, it is dead certain that at some point they are going to have the ability to fire Harbaugh for cause. The next bullet:
Probation and a fine are definitely happening.
Michigan is not going to fire Harbaugh for cause unless they have absolutely no other choice; this section asserts that while the contract going forward is evidence of several good things, it is not evidence that Jim Harbaugh is personally in the clear with the NCAA.
NEW: @TheAthletic has obtained more photos of the goatee'd sunglasses person on the Central Michigan sideline at Michigan State.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) October 31, 2023
CMU is looking into whether this is Connor Stalions.
Story: https://t.co/79siEcZ89r pic.twitter.com/R5AyslTIWF
He's deceiving me, it cuts my security. CMU is investigating whether Stalions was on their sideline for the MSU-CMU game in week one this year. (It was on Friday, thus opening up the possibility of attending.) I believe they're going to find that he was, and that he dressed up in CMU coaching gear to access places he wasn't supposed to. You only investigate who a person is when you don't, you know, know who he is. Because he's employed by you.
This doesn't matter: one more game isn't going to significantly move the needle when Stalions was taping 30. It should further indicate just how off the rails this guy was, and certainly makes it more believable that he was, uh, dedicated enough to do all this on his own. He's wearing sunglasses at night.
I guess the good news is that Ed Norton's going to play him in the movie. That's a big get.
Nothing is happening soon. Pete Thamel appeared on Pat McAfee's show and said that "this will not get expedited and there's no mechanism for it." 2023 punishments are not happening from the NCAA. The Big Ten would have to be mad enough to make Fox furious, reduce the conference's chances of making the playoff, reduce all their bottom lines, and deal with Michigan saber-rattling about going to the SEC. That's not happening either. This team is in the clear.
October 31st, 2023 at 4:56 PM ^
Ed Norton as Stalions is great. It'd be cool if we could get the Rounders crew back together. Malkovich could play Harbaugh. Matt Damon could be, uh, Minter?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:03 PM ^
Matt Damon is built perfectly to do Ryan Dye, I mean Day. He just needs black hair day, I mean dye.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:06 PM ^
Day's a little doughy for Damon.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:14 PM ^
If Matt Damon can pull off playing Colonel Leslie Groves in Oppenheimer, he can pull off Ryan Day.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:39 PM ^
Thinking the exact same thing.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:35 PM ^
Did you forget to add the word-play to your comment?
October 31st, 2023 at 8:17 PM ^
Because he's so tough?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:11 PM ^
Jared from Subway commercials can play Day - if no longer in jail.
We need an obese, fleshy, doughy, pedophilic ferret looking individual for the role.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:18 PM ^
He is most certainly still incarcerated.
October 31st, 2023 at 9:49 PM ^
Maybe he could do work release to play Day in the movie?
If not, I could live with Paul Giamatti or Danny DeVito.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:36 AM ^
paul lost too much weight and devito is like 4'10"... gunna need another pudgy white guy
November 1st, 2023 at 12:35 PM ^
Kevin James
November 2nd, 2023 at 1:24 PM ^
Bert Kreischer
October 31st, 2023 at 8:00 PM ^
How about Jesse Plemons, AKA "Meth Damon" (Breaking Bad reference) as Ryan Day?
October 31st, 2023 at 8:29 PM ^
Mark Wahlberg. He will not try to make his role humorous, and that will make his role so much more humorous..
November 1st, 2023 at 11:23 AM ^
Marky Mark said he's graduated from acting. Only works behind the camera now.
October 31st, 2023 at 10:17 PM ^
??? I think we all know that Jesse Plemons has already been cast as Scott Frost in the spin-off... especially if Frost has spent most of the last 13 months on a bender of whiskey and doughnuts.
November 1st, 2023 at 5:58 AM ^
+1 Plemons as Frost.
November 1st, 2023 at 9:56 AM ^
Although he wasn't in Rounders, I think Leo Decaprio would be a better match for Day. Decaprio is tougher and more closely resembles him.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:14 PM ^
Dude?! I mean c'mon. The Rock is playing Harbaugh. I can picture him in the nerd glasses now.
Edit: (11/1) Stable Diffusion Rendering
October 31st, 2023 at 6:49 PM ^
Ted lasso ( Jason sudeikis) is playing Harbaugh.
Roy Kent ( Brett Goldstein) is playing minter.
October 31st, 2023 at 7:02 PM ^
Coach Beard is Stalions?
October 31st, 2023 at 8:13 PM ^
Will Kitman.
November 1st, 2023 at 9:16 AM ^
Ted Lasso is a cautionary tale about what happens when you elevate a superfan (kit man Nate) to the inner circle, treat him with respect, use his ideas, and don't give him enough attention. Look for Stalions on a rival sideline, soon.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
Billy Mays is no longer with us, otherwise that'd be pitch perfect casting for Ryan Day.
Also, clearly Aubrey Plaza and Nicole Auerbach have to play each other
October 31st, 2023 at 5:36 PM ^
Never thought of John playing Jim. Dang! That's gonna be epic.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:49 PM ^
As weird as Malkovich can be, is he weird enough to play our Harbaugh?
October 31st, 2023 at 7:31 PM ^
No neck Ed is definitely playing Ryan Day!
October 31st, 2023 at 8:09 PM ^
If Malkovich is Jim, Christopher Walken is Jack Harbaugh.
October 31st, 2023 at 9:08 PM ^
Only if he curb stomps the character that plays the investigator hired by Ryan Day.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:41 AM ^
You're a Big Boy Ryan Day! Yes you are! Yes you are! So tough.
November 1st, 2023 at 1:31 PM ^
How about Robbie Rotten from Lazytown (show for kids)?
November 1st, 2023 at 3:37 PM ^
RIP, this beloved man (Stefán Karl Stefánsson) is no longer with us.
October 31st, 2023 at 11:15 PM ^
Only if Malkovich does the “up 30 from the last time I stick it in you” dance as Harbaugh.
November 1st, 2023 at 9:58 AM ^
That dance made me believe that Teddy KGB had never copulated.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:08 AM ^
Jonathan Frakes would be a great option for Day.
October 31st, 2023 at 4:56 PM ^
I believe they're going to find that he was, and that he dressed up in CMU coaching gear to access places he wasn't supposed to.
It feels like at this point when Brian says stuff like this, it's because he's gotten it verified by a source in the know (i.e. Sopwith). Also, if Stalions did this without CMU knowing, wouldn't that open up Stalions to potential criminal charges like trespassing?
Also, I can't help but think that Harbaugh's contract extension talk going from zero to 100 that fast is nothing but a fantastic sign either because Michigan lawyers think this is all a farce or they have confidence that the punishment for this will be minimal
October 31st, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
Trespassing we can live with
October 31st, 2023 at 7:42 PM ^
In Ingham County, is trespassing more serious or less serious than "littering"? Or "seducing an unmarried woman"?
November 1st, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
Mt Pleasant is in Isabella County. But don't let that ruin a great joke. I upvoted you anyway.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
He is working with the exact same info you are.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:33 PM ^
Is he? Because Occam's Razor would suggest that he was able to get on the field via one of Stalions' numerous connections to CMU's coaching staff, not because he snuck on the field in a disguise
October 31st, 2023 at 5:43 PM ^
Stalions is a modern day Zelig. He's everywhere. Under every rock.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
could be he is new leonard di caprio, catch me if you can....
October 31st, 2023 at 10:31 PM ^
Stallions was out there asking all the CMU coaching staff if they concur
October 31st, 2023 at 7:01 PM ^
It feels like at this point when Brian says stuff like this, it's because he's gotten it verified by a source in the know (i.e. Sopwith).
Didn't come from me.
October 31st, 2023 at 7:22 PM ^
sopwith, you have been nails on this. i know about a billion (slight hyperbole) mgobloggers like me thank you. you have indeed shot down the red baron.
October 31st, 2023 at 9:15 PM ^
We are a vast network.
November 1st, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
Was the CMU business the hilarious thing you hinted at last week?
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