WTKA Roundtable 9/21/2023: Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
Things Discussed:
- BGSU: The interceptions! Brian says he was wrong and Seth/Devin/Butt/Everyone else was right that Barner drifted too far back. Was that on Barner or the design? Barner, also Barnhart getting beat and JJ didn't put it where he wanted to. Second INT: Johnson has to run his route even if Wilson was the right read. Third INT: Shoot your shot! Sam/Craig/Program disagree.
- BGSU: The run game. We love Henderson's reach. He seems to be comfortable. Guess is Barnhart/Zinter is their best combination on the right side and that means they go with the next left tackle, who is Henderson.
- BGSU: The defense. Nobody wants any part of these DTs—third straight opponent throwing most of their offense in the recycling bin because they can't block inside. Graham is the best. Jenkins is a star. Grant is a freak. Don't sleep on Benny. Goode had a good game. We even like Trey Pierce.
- Rutgers: They have a real defense. Michigan is going to take them seriously. Their offense need not be.
- Gene Smith goes to Congress. Real talk: The Congressional Black Caucus was going to craft federal legislation because the states were all going with different rules, but anything other than that is just grandstanding. The reason the NCAA is there is to see if they can grasp something they don't deserve and nobody wants them to have from the fact that half of Washington is for sale, but what they don't realize is they are too toxic for anyone but Ted Cruz to take their money.
- MSU? They should try to get a guy who's not in a job this year and get him to start recruiting because they're headed for a Year Zero. The upshot of being Transfer U is those guys can't transfer again.
- Mel Tucker is getting paid off because if they don't there's going to be Discovery.
[Hit the JUMP for the player, and video and stuff]
Segment 2 is here. You can watch the video here:
https://twitter.com/michiganinsider/status/1704844850250846652
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They like Gene Smith. They don't like Jim Harbaugh.
September 21st, 2023 at 10:41 AM ^
On the one hand, Congress is for sale for shockingly cheap. I know the media tries to make a big deal of so-and-so getting ten grand from a lobbyist, but consider these people control a budget in the trillions. It's really remarkable that you can get tens or even hundreds of millions in kickbacks for less than it costs to buy a Kia.
But on the other, the NCAA just about blew a fuse at the prospect of paying players even pennies on the dollars they're making.
Considering the amount of money they control, the NCAA could probably buy Congress with ridiculous ease, but are they too cheap and exploitative to do it? I wonder if they couldn't bear a slimy politician demanding a bribe because it's a situation where they don't have absolute leverage, and would slither home empty-handed at the insult. We're talking about an astoundingly petty organization with a vendetta against Jim Harbaugh, after all.
September 21st, 2023 at 11:05 AM ^
I agree that Congressional influence is often purchased for shockingly low amounts. The flip side is that it's also a lot easier to turn down such low amounts if the influence-purchaser is unliked by everyone.
September 21st, 2023 at 11:53 AM ^
To not veer too far into politics, Congress is effectively unable to do anything except hold grandstanding hearings and continue existing funding. I wouldn't count on anything.
The NCAA doesn't really control any money. The NCAA tournament is just a pass through from the TV networks to the schools and the schools don't even bother with the NCAA for football.
September 21st, 2023 at 4:59 PM ^
The answer is that campaign donations buy power, sweet, sweet power....
September 21st, 2023 at 10:50 AM ^
Brian says he was wrong...
Is... is it even possible for Brian to admit this? If true, does this trigger Armageddon? Or maybe cause some kind of gravitational implosion of the universe?
September 21st, 2023 at 11:27 AM ^
As long as it doesn't trigger draftageddon...
September 21st, 2023 at 11:29 AM ^
On MSU, the other option could be (this was a PAPN bit years ago) to hire a G5 head coach during the season (presumably a Candle or Kane Wommack) and have them leave a caretaker staff back at their old school.
September 21st, 2023 at 12:08 PM ^
Mel Tucker is getting paid off because if they don't there's going to be Discovery.
this, right here.
i'm no lawyer. but my guess is that the vast majority of lawsuits that get early media attention but peter out to nothing later get "settled" for exactly this reason.
anytime you hear some obviously shitty person talks about suing someone, just think about it - do they really want lawyers looking through their stuff in great detail?
September 22nd, 2023 at 8:31 PM ^
Yeah but what discovery would MSU be afraid of? More details about how tucker was sexually harassing people?
September 21st, 2023 at 1:54 PM ^
I thought players get a free transfer when the head coach leaves.
September 21st, 2023 at 4:17 PM ^
They can use that as the basis for a waiver request, but it's not the same thing. And the NCAA is very arbitrary with those.
September 22nd, 2023 at 11:53 PM ^
Even the NCAA can’t be so callous as to force a kid to stay at MSU can they?
Especially after Whack a Mel.
September 21st, 2023 at 5:05 PM ^
Craig: They think [MSU] is a top 15 job.
Brian: (laughs) In the Big Ten?!
LOL.
September 21st, 2023 at 9:38 PM ^
That is gold.
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