Balas: After NCAA meetings, Michigan "99% sure" it won't face punishment this season
Chris Balas ($) posted an update based on conversations with his sources at Michigan about yesterday's discussions with the NCAA. As always, since this is paywalled, subscribe to On3 for the full article. But based on his comments and those from Isaiah Hole, who has spoken to dozens of people inside and outside of Michigan about this story, it appears that:
- Overall, Michigan feels good about the conversations that have taken place, and feels "99 percent sure" that neither Michigan nor Harbaugh will face sanctions this year, because of the "rogue staffer" facts to date.
- Michigan isn't using the "grey areas" defense, believing that if Stalions hired others to something that is forbidden, that is a rules violation by Stalions.
- 1-2 more articles will drop with news unflattering to Michigan related to this story, but they won't alter the fundamental framework we are already familiar with.
All in all, it appears that we may nearing the bottom of the curve related to this story, and that once those last few stories drop, we will have a nearly complete picture of the facts (i.e., no Harbaugh involvement, no sanctions this year, probably slaps on the wrist in the end).
And then we can go back to focusing on winning the Game.
October 27th, 2023 at 4:20 PM ^
Are you hinting at this being related to Weiss?
Not sure how that could be the case: https://www.mlive.com/wolverines/2023/10/police-no-connection-between-michigan-sign-stealing-matt-weiss-investigation.html
October 27th, 2023 at 4:34 PM ^
The police may say it's not connected. As in his actions had nothing to do with stalions. He wasn't arrested for anything implicating stalions. But it's possible his arrest led to the hiring of the third party IT investigation if you believe the rumor. I am not going to speculate. I have no update yet. I'm not the source. Im not a reporter. I'm just a guy sharing info
October 27th, 2023 at 4:53 PM ^
Weiss was fired for hacking into someone else’s email.
The only ways Stallions could have acquired OSU’s practice videos is if he hacked into their computers. LE would automatically be brought in if that happened. The other way is if he bought it from an OSU staffer.
October 27th, 2023 at 5:36 PM ^
That story makes no sense though. So this 3rd party discovers this info in Weiss’ computer, and then decides to launch their own investigation? On whose dime and why? They aren’t required to report anything to the NCAA because the NCAA isn’t a government body and NCAA rules aren’t real laws. They’d likely not give a shit.
October 27th, 2023 at 6:42 PM ^
Weiss has been arrested? That's rather significant news that has not yet been reported.
October 27th, 2023 at 9:53 PM ^
He hasn’t as far as I know. Which, is pretty damn interesting overall.
October 27th, 2023 at 9:30 PM ^
But it's possible his arrest led to the hiring of the third party IT investigation if you believe the rumor.
Whenever anyone trying to play the insider starts to use passive voice, my bullshit alarm sounds. "led to the hiring"? Hiring by whom? Why would this hypothetical third party report anything about Stalions to anyone but their principals?
October 27th, 2023 at 11:28 PM ^
I wasn’t trying to state that as fact for the record just suggesting that part of the rumor explained the question sorry
October 27th, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^
1. Share your source with Brian or Seth so they can properly vet it. 2. Your source could be Buckeye spin.3.It is unusual to say the least that OSU people would know about this alleged practice video but not Michigan which appears to be the case here.
4.There is still the matter of how this information came into the hands of the third party. That is more serious than anything Stallions did by a far margin.
October 27th, 2023 at 4:30 PM ^
I'm not telling anyone my source unless my source says it's ok. Someone will be right when the truth comes out. My source could be wrong. I've said that. Believe what you want. I believe him, and I can't just out him. It's 100% not buckeye spin
Edit: and idk who the third party is or how they got the info. The thing we all hope is fake explains that kind of. I haven't talked about any of that with my source yet. I'm just speculating based on my earlier discussion
October 27th, 2023 at 4:49 PM ^
So you, an anonymous guy, sharing information from an unnamed and unvetted source want us to believe it while refusing basic vetting procedures.
Okay.
October 27th, 2023 at 5:12 PM ^
Believe it or no Quattro - take it for what it's worth.
He doesn't owe you anything...
October 27th, 2023 at 5:30 PM ^
His he your brother? Are you his source?
Asking someone to do the most basic vetting with the owner of this blog is not that much of an ask.
He may not owe me anything, but he is telling me that he is full of shit by refusing to be upfront with the people whose blog he is using to disseminate “information”.
October 27th, 2023 at 5:54 PM ^
I am not trying to disseminate any information other than what I summarized this morning just to get people to stop emailing before anything got worse. All I've done in this thread is answer the questions asked of me because if I was on the other side that's what I'd want.
I don't care if you believe it or not! It might be bad info! Idk how many times I need to say that. I am not the source.
I can't verify the info without giving up my source and I'm uncomfortable sharing my source’s name without their permission. Not insane. I didn’t make a new thread. I’m not trying to break news. This wasn’t planned. If I get permission, I'll email Bryan. Some of you people need to chill
October 28th, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^
Balas’s source finally filling him in. You owe me an apology.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:59 PM ^
Consistently inconsistently consistent
October 27th, 2023 at 2:36 PM ^
Honestly I'm pretty surprised I made it this far down the thread before another random person said they heard the exact opposite as the OP.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:54 PM ^
Please be true please be true please be true
October 27th, 2023 at 1:55 PM ^
You know how when USC commits a rules violation, North California State Tech takes it on the chin? Well, all I know is, for what OSU, MSU and He Who Shall Not Be Named (Except by Chris Balas) have done to piss off the coaches and team...
Purdue is in for one mighty application of uncanned whoop-ass next Saturday. Hide your children and weak of heart. They gonna' be like, "But but but WE didn't do anything...!!!"
* Edited my post b/c I wrote it referring to another state, not CA, and then just saw the tragic news of what happened at Northwestern State and why they had to cancel their season, which was the very team I had in mind in my light-hearted reference, so I have revised my post accordingly. If anyone saw my initial version and thought I was making light of that tragedy, my apologies, I did not see the news before I wrote it, and immediately came here to revise my post when I saw the news.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
i actually feel bad for purdue. This team is gonna practice angry and take it out on the boilers. Much rather do it against the tough guys down south
October 27th, 2023 at 2:05 PM ^
Not sure what your original post said, but the tragic situation happened at Northwestern State. I'm not encouraging to unedit you edit, but wanted to give you the correct school to hopefully alleviate any grief you may be feeling.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:55 PM ^
Yup TY, revised it.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:21 PM ^
Remainder of B1G: please don't make them mad again.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:59 PM ^
It is not being asserted because it is not a serious defense to what is alleged. Technical arguments always sound better on paper. Anyone who can zoom out knows "no in-person scouting" also means "no sending an agent to film what you are prohibited from scouting in person."
October 27th, 2023 at 2:20 PM ^
Disagree. This is why lawyers exist. I agree that you are probably correct. But does the NCAA treat "scouting" and "recording" the same in other bylaws? Does it treat them the same in other enforcement cases? I honestly don't know the answers to these. But you can also threaten it. And keep in mind that the NCAA is judge and jury in the NCAA's domain. But the NCAA's ruling can affect other things like future employment, contracts, payments. These things are outside the NCAA and in the legal realm. And I don't think the current legal system is very friendly to the NCAA considering the Supreme Court issued an opinion that basically said "SOMEONE SUE THIS ORGANIZATION THEY WILL LOSE IF IT GETS TO US". It's a bargening chip toward a settlement both are willing to accept.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:30 PM ^
I think over the course of it's history the bylaw and it's proposals spend way too much effort separating "taping" and "scouting" to just assume that in the end they both mean the same thing. The NCAA ultimately just landed on the idea that they could manage to govern one and not the other.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:46 PM ^
I just joined the forum this morning and my first post was in another thread on this exact topic (https://mgoblog.com/diaries/ncaa%27s-rules-bylaws-are-michigan%27s-side#comment-245025496)
tl;dr (sort of)
Before 2001, Bylaw 11.6.3.1 expressly permitted schools to “obtain videotapes” of a future opponent’s games from a commercial entity “for scouting purposes” subject to a handful of restrictions. One of the restrictions was that the commercial entity “does not analyze the videotape or provide any other services that could be construed as scouting activities.” So here it is in the former rules, clear as day (pardon the pun), that recording is categorically different from scouting.
...
The stated intent and rationale provided by the Bylaw 11 Deregulation Subcommittee for the 2001 amendment were as follows:
Intent: To permit an institution to obtain videotapes of a future opponent's athletics contest, provided no cost is incurred by the institution other than postage costs.
Rationale: This proposal would significantly simplify legislation related to obtaining videotapes of an opponent's contest. If adopted, the proposal would retain the principle that obtaining videotapes would not result in added expenses for an institution and is consistent with Division I deregulation efforts.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Well that makes it pretty clear doesn't it. though there would be wiggle room about vioations depending on what Stalions spent and if he gave the people the How to Steal Signs document with the intention of them interpreting.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:43 PM ^
At what point did you ever get the impression that Jim Mother Fucking Harbaugh would ever "kiss the ring". Pretty sure he would die first.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
Well this does not coincide with the articles and insiders on the Ohio State side. According to them, we will be banned and will have to address Ryan Day as a tough coach for the rest of time.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
so we can be happy again?
October 27th, 2023 at 2:28 PM ^
Jan 9th, 2024.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
All of this shit over the past two weeks to get to what is essentially a “don't do it again”?
Take no mercy and win the whole damn thing.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:02 PM ^
Well, it doesn't say there won't be any punishment ever.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:21 PM ^
All of this shit over the past two weeks to get to what is essentially a “don't do it again”?
I mean that why all this has been happening the last few weeks. There is someone who is trying to do as much reputational damage as possible knowing that the actual consequences will be small
October 27th, 2023 at 2:46 PM ^
I assume it's not a coincidence that this is happening during the one week of the season the coaches can hit the recruiting trail, and thus the only time "reputation" means a rat's ass.
October 27th, 2023 at 3:12 PM ^
Recruiting and Harbaugh's contract extension. 2 things outside entities can mess with via pure PR and minimal substance.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:56 PM ^
This was never anything more than a "slap on the wrist" situation. How the media and crazy football fans everywhere convinced themselves they had something bigger is beyond me.
October 27th, 2023 at 3:10 PM ^
Coordinated PR effort. Whoever was behind it knew that the substance was underwhelming, so they pumped the style up as much as they could for as long as they could.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
Hopefully if Isaiah Hole's report that most of the BigTen steals signs and shares them with each other is true it comes to light in national media and is taken in consideration by the NCAA.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
Punishment this year wouldn't have happened anyway due to the whole 90 day notice thing so that doesn't make me feel better. Also it's annoying that Michigan isn't fighting in the grey area. Just straight up admitting you're in the wrong is stupid.
This seems like Michigan is going to expect and accept some kind of punishment and probably whatever punishment the NCAA and the conference gives which is dumb because they'll most likely go overboard. If the NCAA and B1G weren't massive shits about this whole thing, I would be more inclined to accept the slap on the wrist, but that doesn't seem to be their MO.
October 27th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
So Balas says "Michigan feels good about the conversations that have taken place" while the guy in the other thread says that Harbaugh and assistants ghosted Santa and Manuel at a meeting with the NCAA inquisition.
It's hard for me to believe that Michigan would "feel good" about a meeting with the NCAA that was supposed to be attended by Harbaugh and his staff who declined to attend.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:15 PM ^
Agreed. One of them is wrong. Lets hope it's not Balas.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:16 PM ^
I seriously doubt any coaches ghosted a required NCAA meeting nor their bosses. They all like the prospects of their future employment too much. Like if Harbaugh leaves, Moore is like a prim candidate to replace him. Why would he ghost a meeting for the people who would hire him and the group that could show-cause him? Just doesn't compute. But anything is possible.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:33 PM ^
I don't automatically buy anything Balas says, but the notion that Harbaugh and his assistants would intentionally ghost a meeting they knew they were expected to attend, especially when the meeting was supposed to include the two people at the University of Michigan who have unilateral power to fire them pretty much on the spot, strikes me as exceedingly unlikely.
Ghosting a meeting with your immediate superiors is basically a loud "fuck you" and is a sure-fire way of getting canned.
October 27th, 2023 at 3:16 PM ^
The only thing Harbaugh dislikes more than Warde is the NCAA. Sitting in a 2 hour meeting asking questions on something he has know knowlege of? He wasn't showing up for that meeting, nor having any of his assistants.
October 27th, 2023 at 3:50 PM ^
If anyone ghosted a required meeting they would, at minimum, be put on an immediate, indefinite suspension, so if that doesn't happen we will know pretty soon that particular point was BS all along.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:21 PM ^
Than what should this tell you about the likelihood that the coaches actually ghosted the ncaa, the ad, and the university president?
The only reason anyone ate that shit up is because it's mgoblog fanfic porn..
October 27th, 2023 at 2:35 PM ^
The only reason anyone ate that shit up is because it's mgoblog fanfic porn.
It's a particularly weird and masochistic form of fanfic porn.
October 27th, 2023 at 2:45 PM ^
Most of the staff was on the road with preplanned recruiting trips. Being unavailable in person on short notice is not ghosting.