Former Big 12 Commissioner Advises Petitti to Slow Down, Respect Due Process
Per On3 (not paywalled).
The full quote from former Big 12 Commissioner Steven Hatchell is somewhat rambling, but the money line is: "There should not be a rush to judgment." He speaks about how part of the job of a commissioner is to "protect [each] school from [the other] 13."
Hatchell is currently the president/CEO of the National Football Foundation, the organization that manages the CFB Hall of Fame.
Hatchell may seem like a odd voice to be speaking out publicly, but Balas ($) is hinting that Hatchell is speaking on behalf of the Big 12 -- the apparent insinuation being that the Big 12 does not want details of potential sign-sharing between Big Ten opponents and TCU to emerge, if Petitti suspends Harbaugh and Michigan is forced to sue.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:01 PM ^
Hey B10 (not safe for work):
November 8th, 2023 at 2:40 PM ^
If Pettiti pushes forward with a suspension, he will have officially crossed the Rubicon. There will be no turning back.
He will be the man that within six months on the job, caved to an angry mob, alienated one of his two biggest cash cows and flagship universities, over something that could've easily been handled with fines, probation, or just letting the NCAA carry out its investigation and levying appropriate punishments at the conclusion.
He will be the guy that unnecessarily dragged his conference into a very nasty and very public lawsuit, dragged every other member of the conference down into the mud as they all get dragged through discovery and deposition, as everyone's skeletons all get let out of the closet for everyone to see, and potentially destroyed the Big Ten's reputation with Michigan so badly that its no longer a viable long-term place to call home.
That will be his legacy.
Being the man that within six months, set the chain of events in motion that could destroy the Big Ten and its future.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:49 PM ^
He will always be the guy that was too dumb to see what the average fan could see... don't open this can of worms.
Having dealt personally with a few sports network people, his behavior unfortunately doesn't surprise me in the least.
It's like once they say "I work for <insert network>", a dormant gene is triggered that improbably somehow increases the size of the head 3X while simultaneously shrinking the brain 3X. Negotiating with them is like negotiating with a toddler.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Never underestimate the ability of one (stupid) person to cause chaos.
And never underestimate the destructive power of stupid people in groups.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:53 PM ^
Thank You. Eloquence is a wonderful thing and I salute you Sir!
November 8th, 2023 at 3:00 PM ^
And every other one of those universities will of deserved that fate.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:41 PM ^
He then added, "... and if things don't work out, we would be happy to discuss long term arrangements with the University of Michigan."
November 8th, 2023 at 2:42 PM ^
Thamel just on ESPN stating that the B10 is not taking Michigan's allegations serious because that is what "legal" sign stealing is supposed to look like. First of all don't tell me that these teams didn't have cameras focused on Michigan's signals/signs. No way are they just remembering them after the games. Secondly, so if a team has all your signs and gives them to another team that you will play that is no more dangerous to the other team than some dufus and his buddies iphone videoing signs and trying to match them up to plays (C,mon man!) Lastly, the B10 rule isn't sign stealing, it's a sportsmanship rule, don't tell me one is any more egregious than the other in regards to sportsmanship. .
November 8th, 2023 at 2:51 PM ^
Thamel is so damn biased.
Coaches conspiring to share sings is much more of an advantage and unfair than a rogue entry level staffer stealing signs without the coaches knowledge.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:50 PM ^
Not biased ...stupid. Exposing zero game knowledge. Why have him on except for the Bless your heart crowd?
November 8th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Those talking heads wish people had short memory, unfortunately for them, most people's memory last longer than than 2-3 weeks. Maybe Michigan players should sue Purdue, OSU and Rutgers for endangering their health, using their own public statement against them.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:52 PM ^
Thamel now has a huge vested interest in this. Everything he says is simply self preservation.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:09 PM ^
Agree. It's frustrating though. I live in the Lansing area, which, as you can imagine, is loaded with MSU fans. It is impossible to have a conversation about the issue with them. They hear/read on ESPN media platforms that Michigan is an evil group of cheaters, and they believe that's all there is to the story. They are indignant that Harbaugh still has a job.
I now choose to not have these conversations and will wait for this to all play out.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:24 PM ^
I'm good friends with a State grad. He and I discussed this yesterday. He's only followed it from a 30,000 view, mainly through what ESPN has reported. I pointed him to other sources and his opinion was why did everyone make such a big deal about this? It's a nothingburger.
November 8th, 2023 at 8:47 PM ^
Even before this they talked about Michigan like its the dirtiest program in history. It's impossible to have a conversation.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:21 PM ^
I truly cannot believe Pettiti is letting himself get taken for a ride on this thing. This dude has no idea what he's doing and is basically just a puppet for OSU. This guy's gonna be canned in a hurry. TV Networks aren't going to want this idiot ruining their TV contracts. His days are numbered
I also cannot believe the rest of the Big 10 is still pushing this. Do they seriously want to continue down this road? You want to have a 'Pulling the Skeletons Out Of Our Closet Competition' with Michigan who can't stretch for 30 minutes or buy someone a cheeseburger without someone ratting us out. Do OSU or MSU really think they're coming out on top in that?
November 8th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^
One has to be a real moron to think 'we got the signs from OSU and Rutgers coaches' is any different for 'sportsmanship' or the integrity of a game than getting those signs from 22 years olds with iPhones.
The obsession with 'but it is the WAY the signs are obtained' that changes everything for on-field advantage in a game is smooth brain thinking and/or motivated reasoning...or both.
'We got the signs from coaches at OSU and Rutgers' is fine, while 'they got the signs from jabroni's with iPhones'... What a wild world!
November 8th, 2023 at 2:45 PM ^
Pettiti is operating the Big 10 like it's a democracy. You can't let 13 vote to punish 1 because then stupidity like this is unleashed. Pettiti is a weak, stupid man.
November 8th, 2023 at 8:54 PM ^
Socrates stamp of approval.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:46 PM ^
Steven Hatchell for Big Ten commissioner immediately.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:46 PM ^
I just want more drips
November 8th, 2023 at 2:48 PM ^
This essentially is Tony Petitti so far:
November 8th, 2023 at 2:57 PM ^
Love Mel Brooks
In Mockingbird, Santa is our Atticus, but who will be our Scout?
November 8th, 2023 at 2:54 PM ^
I find it comical that all these other B10 schools are considered "nobodies" You can't watch a single college football show without everybody saying Michigan has played a bunch of "nobodies". It has to burn all of these B10 coaches asses every time they hear that.
November 8th, 2023 at 2:55 PM ^
I keep thinking about the rush to judgment in the Duke lacrosse case, where lives and careers were ruined, following which the accuser recanted her claims. The whole case was tried in the media and the players and the coach were found guilty without due process.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:23 PM ^
All the media people moved on with their lives with no shame.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:02 PM ^
Good advice.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:02 PM ^
TCU both uncompetitively advance scouted by accepting the coach synthesized Suckeye info and then chose to claim same from Michigan which is Alinsy-esque. UM didn't accept info not offered and was able to attend scout on their own for the CFP as the Buckeyes had earlier requested and found out its allowance.
My what a tangled web we weave. Pick 6's from jumping routes you knew about...hmmmnnn?
November 8th, 2023 at 3:10 PM ^
Interesting with the protect TCU connection who got our signs and knew to cover up theirs.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:18 PM ^
We should all LOL at the possibility that OSU is about to bring the heat on multiple conferences.
November 8th, 2023 at 3:28 PM ^
What's clear is Pettiti has paid too much attention to the mob to release a statement nationally about respecting due process to kill this story.
Because he has not he has opened Pandora's box of shit kicking and mudslinging and things are getting uglier because he's a money guy not a LEADER.
November 8th, 2023 at 4:04 PM ^
the apparent insinuation being that the Big 12 does not want details of potential sign-sharing between Big Ten opponents and TCU to emerge,
I knew it!
November 8th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
Hopefully Petitti is listening to sage counsel like this!
November 8th, 2023 at 5:03 PM ^
"part of the job of a commissioner is to "protect [each] school from [the other] 13."
This particular point is paramount and needs to be amplified in these matters. Any commissioner needs to understand this and act accordingly.
(Especially when these conference calls make the accused school recuse themselves from meetings discussing the issues, etc.)
November 8th, 2023 at 7:55 PM ^
A good career move.