Harbaugh Attorney Tom Mars Statements to B1G

Submitted by Pepper Brooks on November 8th, 2023 at 9:19 PM

Dan Wetzel and Ross Dellenger consolidated article about UM response to B1G, including excerpts of response by Harbaugh attorney Tom Mars:

"In a separate eight-page letter to the Big Ten, Harbaugh’s attorney, Tom Mars, mirrors many of the same arguments but also offers the first explanation for some of the questions that have dogged the Michigan coach since the Stalions scandal first broke. NCAA rules prohibit public comment during an ongoing investigation, effectively preventing the accused from publicly defending themselves.

Mars, for example, addresses the accusation that even if there is no proof Harbaugh did know about how Stalions was able to steal opponent’s signs, Harbaugh should have known, or at least should have been more curious, because Stalions’ was able to do it. It is legal to steal signs. It is the in-person scouting ring Stalions allegedly ran that is against NCAA rules.

However, Mars argues that since Michigan offered proof that both Ohio State and Rutgers had accurately stolen its play signals last season — presumably via game film, which is allowed — that figuring out the signs is not particularly difficult."

“When other teams had been legally acquiring Michigan’s signals with 100 percent accuracy for at least two years by studying Michigan game films, there was no reason for Coach Harbaugh or anyone else to believe that (Stalions) had not acquired his information about other team’s signals by using the same methodology," Mars wrote.

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meeashagin

November 8th, 2023 at 9:33 PM ^

Conner got lazy or his vacuum cleaner biz picked up.

Either way he didn't want to spend the time it takes to watch film.

Joined: 03/25/2018

MGoPoints: 5079

george11

November 8th, 2023 at 10:03 PM ^

I get that some of what Connor might have done is open for ridicule, but making fun of a veteran for trying to earn a living is pathetic. So what if he repairs vacuums!

We have devolved to demeaning those who actually fix broken things and work for a living. Blue collar is SO far beneath everyone that it is a joke. Be better!

Joined: 01/08/2011

MGoPoints: 3401

Stringer Bell

November 8th, 2023 at 9:37 PM ^

It's amazing how the Big Ten keeps one upping itself in terms of hiring awful commissioners.  The bar was set so low with Delany but they keep going lower.  Pettiti is a dumbass who won't last long in this job.

Joined: 11/06/2014

MGoPoints: 52967

bronxblue

November 8th, 2023 at 9:38 PM ^

I just don't get what Petitti thinks is going to happen tomorrow if he suspends Harbaugh.  He's going to immediately get an injunction on his face that'll take at least a week to resolve, and unless the judge is an absolutely idiotic OSU slappy he or she is going to weigh the costs to Harbaugh (pretty significant in not being able to do his job) vs. the cost the the Big 10 (very little esp. since Stalions isn't on staff and all teams have been warned for weeks) and side with UM pending a formal investigation.  Like, I know there are dumb OSU/PSU/MSU chuds out there trying to argue otherwise because their fever dream of seeing UM crumble is dying but that's most likely how this goes.  

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171991

M-Dog

November 8th, 2023 at 10:16 PM ^

There are two sticks on the table:

Stick 1) He looks like a fool for creating all this mess and then backing off at the last moment. 

Stick 2) He looks like a fool for creating all this mess and then having a judge make him back off at the last moment.

He is going to get hit with a fool stick, he just gets to pick which one.

 

Joined: 07/06/2008

MGoPoints: 257576

uofmchris2

November 8th, 2023 at 9:39 PM ^

Petitti has to be absolutely shitting himself right now....or at least has probably peed himself a few times...knowing that he's dug himself into a huge hole while also looking like a clown as each day passes. 

Again. This is just the beginning and also the tip of the iceberg.

Can't wait to see what drops next because we all know there is more that Michigan is holding onto.

Joined: 10/31/2020

MGoPoints: 12981

M-Dog

November 8th, 2023 at 9:58 PM ^

He needs to get out of this dive at all costs.  What the fuck, at this point he just make up a story that the NCAA called him and told him to stand down.  When the NCAA denies they said that, he can say "That's not what they said to me, must have been a bad connection."

Dog ate my homework.  Gotta run.  No more questions.

Joined: 07/06/2008

MGoPoints: 257576

dragonchild

November 8th, 2023 at 9:40 PM ^

I can’t think of more utterly pathetic loser behavior from someone in sports than to try to bring down an opponent with manufactured scandal.

That transcends any naive notions of fair play. This isn’t unnecessary roughness or even recruit tampering, which are at least related to winning the game if you’re a “by any means” shitbag. This is avoiding your opponent entirely. This is millionaire coaches straight-up admitting to themselves that they suck and thus can’t win on the field, literally by any means! To do this you have to look at yourself in the mirror and say to yourself, “I am a worthless loser shit fraud and should not be coaching competitive athletes.”

You have no sense of competitiveness at that point. You’ve emasculated your own athletic background, and deserve to coach naked for the jaw-dropping cowardice.

Joined: 10/13/2011

MGoPoints: 61369

grumbler

November 9th, 2023 at 11:56 AM ^

We already know that the NCAA didn't want to be bothered by this petty bullshit but were drawn in by bogus "tips to the press" from anonymous sources that were published by slackjawed and credulous reporters.  The NCAA Director of Compliance is a vengeful Harbaugh-hater, but the NCAA as an institution cannot afford to risk proceeding without due process.

Joined: 08/17/2011

MGoPoints: 14168

uminks

November 8th, 2023 at 9:41 PM ^

Harbaugh could actually sue the B1G for deformation. If we give him a 10 M contract and he gets 50 M from the B1G, he may want to stay as Michigan's coach.

Joined: 11/10/2009

MGoPoints: 32139

s1105615

November 8th, 2023 at 9:41 PM ^

Long and short of it, if the conference tries to suspend Harbaugh, it goes to court and everyone gets bloodied and an injunction lets Harbaugh coach out the season anyway.

This shouldn’t be a hard decision 

Joined: 03/01/2014

MGoPoints: 8605