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 5:02 PM ^
I do wonder if Stalions - assuming its him - went to that game more for fun on the invite of a CMU staff connection. Puts on the disguise because he knows the rule about in-person scouting. I'm sure he was also gleaning information, but...
...If he were trying to actively scout MSU, why on earth wouldn't he just buy a ticket himself and watch the game from the stands where he would have a better view?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:11 PM ^
Yeah plus would you get more intel from being in the stands and recording video, or being field level with sunglasses on in the dark, having to watch the other sideline while a lot is happening around you? You'd be way more likely to be caught, for way less payoff.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:39 PM ^
Answer: delusions of grandeur
October 31st, 2023 at 6:03 PM ^
One thing I can say almost for certain: there is just no way Michigan higher up's would think this was a good idea -- disguising yourself as a member of the staff of another team and sneaking on to their sidelines during a game. Risk is just way too big for such a small reward.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:50 AM ^
At this point I think it is fair to conclude that Stalions is just f*cking nuts and rational thinking is not generally the forte of those folks.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:11 AM ^
Lol it looks he was wearing those Ray Bans smart glasses too that can video record as well
https://twitter.com/LateKickJosh/status/1719492426182598889?t=qkm7lJoihjXSGoOhn2x19g&s=19
November 1st, 2023 at 11:27 AM ^
uh, how many minutes can you record on glasses, and what type of resolution are you getting 80 yards away, behind players and coaches.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
Thanks for your coverage on this and improving my mental health. I know i'm being greedy, but I would respectfully like to ask for the Offensive UFR from MSU. It would improve my mental health even more than these updates
October 31st, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
Go easy on Brian. He's going to have to figure out which plays were influenced by Stalions' scouting the CMU game and account for that in the grading. So, in addition to RPS +1, he'll have to add CSSS (Connor Stallions Sign Stealing) +1.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:26 PM ^
Ive already checked twitter and literally all plays are due to CSSS. He knew the exact plays being run every time and beamed them into our players minds. We surely wouldve been 0-12 each of the last 2 seasons without CSSS
October 31st, 2023 at 6:46 PM ^
last 20 seasons...
October 31st, 2023 at 6:52 PM ^
FINALLY the truth will come out about Fielding Yost's telepathic abilities!
October 31st, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
Clearly Stalions' big mistake was not including the fake nose and mustache with his glasses disguise.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:34 PM ^
He should have went with the anti-banana disguise..
October 31st, 2023 at 5:02 PM ^
How could CMU not know if that is Stallions?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:22 PM ^
They know it's not anyone on their staff. How would they know it's Stalions? They've never met Stalions. You think he went around introducing himself at this game?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:31 PM ^
Well, maybe?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:37 PM ^
Haha, true. His pass probably said CONNOR STALIONS MICHIGAN VIDEO ESPIONAGE DEPT.
October 31st, 2023 at 10:48 PM ^
I’m thinking he passed himself off as former Marine Colonel H. H. ‘Hap’ Hapablap, who was chased out of the service after that unfortunate incident at the Springfield Air Show.
November 1st, 2023 at 10:03 AM ^
If you don't open that door, I'll tear you up like a Kleenex at a snot party!
October 31st, 2023 at 5:38 PM ^
I’m with you, CMU knows it’s not anyone on their staff. I think the problem is, how does anyone prove that it was Stalions? Unless the coach that brought him into the stadium and gave him a sideline pass rats himself out (I’m guessing here because nothing else really makes sense), it’s going to be pretty hard to prove it is Stalions if Stalions didn’t buy a ticket in his name (which is also entirely possible I guess). Going to be interesting to see how this plays out.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:43 PM ^
To get the coach to flip: 1. Investigate shark sales in Michigan the night before the game. 2. Confront CMU coach with evidence of shark-for-sideline-access quid pro quo. 3. Flip.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^
It looks like Zordich is on CMU staff. Anyone know if he left on bad terms? Wikipedia says he was fired in 2021. Would fit the narrative of the leaker being someone that most people don’t know but the hardcore fans would.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:44 PM ^
I think there's something somewhere that points to it being him. No way internet sleuths just stumbled on this and started posting it and saying, this guy who looks like a million other dudes looks like Stalions! And then it turns out it's not actually someone on CMU's staff?
This was already discovered by the PI from some other piece of intel is my guess.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:05 PM ^
Yup, I would guess that the PI firm which has Stalion's schedule/spreadsheet/evil work book found a schedule of teams he was scouting and found an entry for this particular game, then scrubbed through game footage looking for anyone on the sideline who looked suspiciously like Connor.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^
He might have made his own pass. There is a precedent for sudcessfully sneaking onto a
basketball court.
PublishedMarch 19, 2014
At halftime of Virginia's ACC tournament semifinal, Danny had an idea. He noticed all the Cavaliers staff members hovering around the team, and discerned what exactly gave them to the power to roam freely around the court: a suit with a Virginia-orange tie. One day and one trip to Walmart later, Danny was down on the floor, celebrating a conference title and shaking hands with a dejected Coach K.
It's the oldest rule of event-crashing. Look like you know what you're doing, and dress the part, and you can go pretty much anywhere.
__________
5 minutes before the game i walk down the aisle and without saying anything or looking at the usher he pulled back the curtain and raised the bar for me to enter the floor/ court area. ...
After 16 minute timeout I told everyone I was going down to go on the court for the 12 minute tv timeout. And I did
I walked right behind the cheerleaders and onto the court and joined the UVA huddle on the court
Tony Bennett was talking to the team and Joe Harris was getting his bloody knee taped 2 feet in front of me.
Sat behind the basket for 6-8 minutes and watched the rest of the half with my family.
Halftime I passed out the official box score to the front row of the media, just walked right across the entire court as i walked past security. I Printed them out in the hotel that morning to look legit.
Went down another time to just walk around. I even small talked a 70 year old usher and it was her first time being in the lower level. we talked for a while and i even showed her how to unhook the bar that let to the media tables.
Watched up to the last 2 minutes with everyone, then went down for the end of the game.
Buzzer sounds and i walked onto the middle and confetti was falling.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:26 PM ^
Great point. I'm definitely picturing Stalions as Harrison Ford now making fake IDs while eating oranges.
October 31st, 2023 at 7:01 PM ^
How would they let someone not on their staff on the sideline without knowing who they are? And that’s not just sideline access, he is literally standing by the coaches. Usually those people who get sideline access are at the ends on each side. Not in the coaches box area.
October 31st, 2023 at 7:11 PM ^
Then it shouldn't take a full day plus for CMU to identify the guy if he's that VIP for them. Unless they're just enjoying this as a prank.
October 31st, 2023 at 7:27 PM ^
Exactly, could you imagine if there was someone standing next to Harbaugh on the sideline of a game and no one knew who he was or how he got there?
October 31st, 2023 at 7:41 PM ^
Yeah I understood your point. But what I'm saying is it's been a day, so why hasn't CMU cleared it up if they know who it is? Shits and giggles? Or they don't know who it is?
October 31st, 2023 at 9:31 PM ^
Or they were preparing for the game they're playing tonight.
November 1st, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^
No, they had already put out a statement saying they were looking into it. If this guy was such a big wig on staff (as was the claim above) then that statement would have just said, Oh, that's our such and such guy named so and so.
I know your post was made before we saw McElwain's statement on the situation. But you can all stop pretending the guy in the picture is part of CMU's program now.
November 1st, 2023 at 9:18 AM ^
"We'll look into it after the game we're scheduled to play."
So if there's anything to be said it'll likely be today or tomorrow. Would Michigan say much on a Friday or Saturday if something like this popped up regarding them like this? No. The earliest you'd really hear anything is on Sunday or Monday.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:07 PM ^
"Probation and a fine are definitely happening."
implies game forfeits are also on the table? also for who? Harbaugh? the program?
"This team is in the clear. "
so ... does that mean the team is in the clear and it will only be Harbaugh in trouble?
"A guy with a blood vendetta against Harbaugh is literally on the committee"
Aaaand OK, then, how do we get this guy off the committee, then?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:21 PM ^
implies game forfeits are also on the table? also for who? Harbaugh? the program?
Probation and fine is not any reflection one way or the other on vacated wins. Probation and fine would be for the program.
so ... does that mean the team is in the clear and it will only be Harbaugh in trouble?
No, it just means it's in the clear for 2023. CFP national championship here we come.*
*Even if vacated later which seems unlikely.
Aaaand OK, then, how do we get this guy off the committee, then?
We don't.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:35 PM ^
Football national championships don't get vacated anyway; they are not awarded by the NCAA. Only games can be vacated.
November 1st, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
Not many Machiavelli fans here I see lol
October 31st, 2023 at 5:09 PM ^
Pete Thamel seems upset LOL
October 31st, 2023 at 5:09 PM ^
I have no idea if that's Stalions, but those three pictures above do *not* look like a man who was hiding himself. I mean, in one he is pumping his fist cheering...for CMU (is that part the disguise--a UM guy cheering for another team)? And in another he's standing right next to two other CMU personnel (neither of whom said, "Who the hell is this guy?") looking like he's part of the mix?
And how'd he get the exact right coaching gear?
He must have had help from some other staffer (from CMU?) who thought he was there to...do what, I don't know.
What a silly, dumb, situation.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:25 PM ^
You know how in MCU movies or other blockbusters with cloak-and-dagger bits, when X character has to walk through the city to avoid detection by the enemy, they always wear sunglasses and a plain black baseball cap to conceal themselves, even while we all know who it is?
That's basically that.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:49 PM ^
Maybe he's simply providing some pro bono services for CMU.
October 31st, 2023 at 6:52 PM ^
haha true - or MCU? see above
November 1st, 2023 at 6:59 AM ^
The dude is off the rails. He snuck in incognito and couldn't resist getting emotionally invested in the game in front of him.
November 1st, 2023 at 11:06 AM ^
Its really not that much of a stretch to think 600 page manifesto guy would be cheering a score against a rival.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:09 PM ^
Brian is quickly backtracking after a dumb post yesterday. Harbaugh isn't getting a show cause.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:10 PM ^
— jim sparrow (@SparrowJim) October 31, 2023
Amazing Video.
Connor Stallions is our RUDY! Embrace it.
October 31st, 2023 at 5:55 PM ^
If that's Stalions, he's really going to be clutching his big laminated sheet and intentionally stand next to the coaches? That makes zero sense to me. What purpose would any of this serve for him?
October 31st, 2023 at 5:58 PM ^
A guess as to the purpose: it was exciting.
Comments