Meet Jim Stapleton
[EDITOR'S NOTE This post went up a few days ago and I took it down until now because I feared what the outcome might be from angry Michigan fans being given a boogeyman to pin that anger on. This is not a reflection on the OP, who linked all of the information he shared. John U. Bacon is also talking about this guy. It is a reflection of some of the commenters.
I do not defend or condone Stapleton's actions, but I do recognize he is probably acting in what he thinks is Michigan's best interests. I also want to stress that one person using his power and influence to hurt Michigan has nothing to do with the conduct of Michigan or its staffers, nor the conduct of Ohio State, the NCAA, and disreputable reporters. Information is important; anyone detected trying to make him into an Emmanuel Goldstein gets banned. --Seth]
A few days ago, one of the more obnoxious users on the board posted this comment:
I do handyman type work for a commercial property management company in Ann Arbor. We have a half dozen big properties on Main St. lots of our tenants are big local companies you'd know. One tenant tells me that a guy he does a business with is a lawyer who is closely connected to UM athletics, and apparently despises Harbaugh. He apparently was a big Ron English advocate back in 2014 during the coaching search, I kid you not. He was bitter that Michigan didn't go with "his guy" and has never let go of that bitterness. Not long ago he got himself onto the infractions committee at the NCAA and he has major pull now wrt their investigations, and it was shortly thereafter that cheeseburger scandal erupted.
Upon further digging, it turns out that this anecdote is in reference to Jim Stapleton, who is listed on the NCAA's website as a member of the committee on infractions.
Stapleton did indeed campaign for Ron English for a period of time when he was a regent for Eastern Michigan University:
EMU regent Jim Stapleton remains in contact with English and marvels at how he has changed.
"There is no doubt it was a blip on the radar screen during five years with the program," Stapleton said. "There was so much turmoil the last year of the program. Anybody who has worked with the man and knows the history knows that is in no way, shape or form of who he is."
He was also a big Hoke guy:
One fan did not agree, even after Michigan's 26-10 loss to Utah that shook Blue Nation again. Big Michigan booster and current Eastern Michigan University regent Jim Stapleton accused me of falling off a truck and bumping my head.
And he apparently had a hand in Rodriguez's demise:
His reach also extends to the NFL:
And just this year SI wrote a long form article entitled:
Meet the Officials Who Volunteered for an NCAA Job Most Would Run Away From
“I think this is a critical time in this industry, which is one reason I put my hand up to serve,” says Jim Stapleton, an attorney and former regent at Eastern Michigan University. “This group can really make a difference.”
If "most would run away from" this job, it makes you wonder why such a busy man who has a well documented agenda and such strong opinions about Michigan's coaches would run towards it.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:22 PM ^
Something stupid? Like continuously plotting witch hunts to take down someone you have a vendetta against for weird personal reasons? Yeah that would be crazy.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:27 PM ^
Well... do we *know* this? It would seem a good thing for Michigan to have an insider on the infractions committee... unless of course he *is* on a vendetta against Harbaugh.
I'm not familiar enough with the intercine squabbles of the booster power players to know where the lines are, but I know others on this board probably do.
October 25th, 2023 at 1:33 PM ^
It's circumstantial, but...hamburgers and stealing signs.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:45 PM ^
A collective is not responsible for the actions taken by a rogue individual, a concept that we all should be familiar with at the moment.
You fundamentally misunderstand what it means to doxx a person's personal information. This does not constitute as that. And you're right, timing is important. It's important, especially for journalists, to expose the truth; particularly when all eyes are on the subject at hand. This is true for scenarios outside this blog as well. Think about it. You are advocating for censorship of the truth based on what could or could not happen at the discretion of a bad actor. This line of thinking has dangerous implications.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:19 PM ^
Totally agree, and I find it sad that so many seem to disagree. We don't want to be the sort of fan base that starts witch hunts based on limited (or, in this case, no direct) information. For all we know, he's had nothing to do with any current investigations into UM. We're connecting dots that may have no connection. Beyond that, never underestimate the number of unhinged people on the internet willing to act completely inappropriately. Let's just not.
C'mon people, let's have some class here.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:25 PM ^
Oh we're gonna have class all right. In fact, we're gonna take him to school.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:29 PM ^
How exactly would we get "direct" information? Get hired as his maid by asking for below-market wages after doctoring an impressive cleaning resume starting with graduating as valedictorian of Ohio State's esteemed The School of Janitorial Labor, then going to the interview wearing a FIRE HARBAUGH shirt and a TEAM RON ENGLISH hat, and then after working there for a month and gaining his trust, mounting our inner Stalions and using our iPhone to record his Zoom calls with his evil henchmen? This info is coming from JUB, one of the most connected and credible sources in the Michigan realm. If you were a juror, would you need to see an alleged murderer kill somebody to convict?
This attitude is why Michigan is such an easy target. This guy's name needs to be in headlines right above where all of the unsubstantiated, uninformed, and sensationalized outrage has been about Michigan. There has to be some kind of deterrent or this is just going to be a cycle, which is already proving to be the case.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:48 PM ^
Dissenting opinion: I'd like to know the name of every person involved in bringing this to light.
October 25th, 2023 at 1:38 PM ^
And agreed..he isn't a shadowy lobbyist anymore, nor a quiet donor. Not even a minority owner of a football team. He put himself in a position and will bring on himself whatever reaction comes his way.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:08 PM ^
If I was given a half ton of plastic pellets and one day to build the perfect replica of an NCAA investigator, it would be a "government affairs" attorney and look exactly like this turd.
October 25th, 2023 at 5:46 PM ^
Bullshit. If ever someone needed to be outed on Twitter and get the Rosenberg treatment, it's this fucking guy.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:58 PM ^
We don't need someone else to screw us. Our own people screw us over. JFC.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:06 PM ^
State of Michigan eats its own
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:52 PM ^
Not someone from the state. He's an alum!
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:41 PM ^
This is one of my gripes. Does Michigan commit infractions sometimes? I'm sure. But good lord Michigan doesn't need anyone snooping on their program because it seems like they get ratted by people close to them more often than not. I am quite certain every infraction we've ever committed has been reported to the NCAA by someone within 50 miles of Ann Arbor. I doubt this is a problem in say Tuscaloosa, Los Angeles, Austin, etc.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:49 PM ^
Southern schools have a mafia-like code of silence. It’s baked into their culture down there. Almost an “us against the north” thing still. Though I think bringing the Texas schools in (specifically Austin) might challenge that.
LA doesn’t care about college sports. Though USC got raked for the Bush stuff.
October 23rd, 2023 at 7:59 PM ^
Holy shit, this dude needs to be sent to Bolivia. I knew the Rich Rod stuff was damned from the start. I just hope no former coaches and boosters are behind this clown.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:49 PM ^
He's loosely associated with a former coach that's probably familiar to everyone on this board.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:19 PM ^
And more than partially why some QB went somewhere else.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:58 PM ^
Presumably Ryan Mallett, which implies Lloyd?
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:03 PM ^
’Et tu Brute?’
-Jim Stapleton
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:09 PM ^
If this were to end up in court, we can maybe expect Mr. Stapleton to be specifically named as a defendant.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:16 PM ^
The comments in here are worrisome.
If you want to take action, maybe contact the NCAA, Michigan AD department, the university, B1G Conference, etc. Make your case to them. But all these other weird comments are disturbing.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:36 PM ^
Is this Jim Stapleton‘s burner?
Sure, let’s all contact the NCAA. After that I’ll contact the Vatican about all the clergy abuse.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:51 PM ^
I've seen way more humorous comments than disturbing ones. What's bugging you? Notice that Brutus (OP) doesn't directly finger Stapleton.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:57 PM ^
how’s it going Mr. Stapleton?
October 25th, 2023 at 5:50 PM ^
What?!? You must not internet much.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:17 PM ^
He was a giant pain the in ass when RichRod was hired. In fact, I have it on good authority that it was he, not Lloyd Carr, who was the primary culprit of dividing the AD at that time.
October 25th, 2023 at 6:01 PM ^
Crap, this guy is poison. And Warde blithely dines with him, further encouraging more division.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:18 PM ^
https://www.crainsdetroit.com/awards/james-stapleton
Current goal: "To continue to expand my involvement in the community and to use my legal background to do that."
No joke. Wanted to get involved in UM Athletics and was shown the door out. Since then he has been sabotaging his alma mater.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:07 PM ^
So, no one should physically harm this guy, but anyone who cares about UofM should cancel all business with him and dis-invite him from any Halloween, Christmas, Chanukah, Eid Al-Fitr, Diwali or any other parties. What an *sshole.
October 25th, 2023 at 3:43 PM ^
If he was shown the door, maybe that's the real reason he's trying so hard to torpedo the program, and not some grudge related to Ron English or even Jim Harbaugh.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:29 PM ^
Would that make it somehow more acceptable?
October 26th, 2023 at 3:46 PM ^
I think the implication is that he was shown the door because he was a pain in the ass regarding English.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:19 PM ^
So conflict of interest, much? No wonder so much shit constantly leaks about this story.
October 25th, 2023 at 1:51 PM ^
Apparently the NCAA reserves the right to leak information ahead of having all the facts together while Michigan is forced to remain quiet and take the public tarnishing and shaming right up the butthole. We need to drop a huge lawsuit on the NCAA. Just drag this thing out long enough and make people over there sweat enough that they are forced to minimize the severity of any proposed penalties. And then clarify the rule and force microphones im helmets. Case closed.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:21 PM ^
What a bitter, bitter, bitter, bitter person
Great job doing this BTW.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:27 PM ^
I was too busy commenting on other people's comments and forgot...
Outfuckingstanding work, evenyoubrutus.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
We're all in a pretty paranoid mood, and Stapleton may be a horse's ass, but you haven't really supplied the connective tissue here.
He gets on the NCAA committee and then the cheeseburglar episode erupts. This is not proof that he's responsible for that episode, right?
He's been opposed to a couple of our coaches. (For the record, I think RR WAS hosed, but I don't think we're proving here that Stapleton was the culprit.) People here supported all kinds of fools and randos, no?
And I'm not sure what he's defending about English? Sorry, I've forgotten what his transgressions were. . .
From all of this, I am more drawing, 'hey, let's keep our eyes on this guy and see where the trail leads.' With John's tweets making me think, 'Where there's smoke, I guess he's pretty sure there's some fire.' Just all seems pretty circumstantial to post big photos of the guy as if you want people to do violence to him?
I'd pull this one in, edit it with a little more care. "A lot of signs point to Stapleton having a role here. . ." might be more appropriate. This guy IS NOT taking on Michigan single-handed. That would almost certainly be attributing WAY too much power to someone who's clearly a bit of a would-be swinging weenie.
Oh, and btw, I am still in Jim's corner and think he's a really good coach. But there are a LOT of Michigan alums out there, a LOT, who have come to think that this is all a bit of a circus. People who never look at the fine print but see M's name come up again and again and assume that some of it must be for real. Of COURSE, they're not regular visitors to MGoblog, for the most part. But to pretend they're not out there would be an inappropriate assessment of the forces arrayed. No military tactician worth his salt would approve.
October 25th, 2023 at 2:09 PM ^
Well it isn't legally binding yet but in the "spirit of the rules" circumstantial evidence suggests an all encompassing investigation of Revengegate must instantly supercede all infraction activity until proven that scale weighting vendettas don't unfairly harm an institution's leaders and students, right? Conclusions can be drawn and video and statements exist. Really it is just the seriousness of the charge that should prove immobilizing.
October 25th, 2023 at 4:20 PM ^
Well, there's just too much smoke around this guy to be a coincidence. Information got leaked to the public on the last two NCAA investigations of Michigan, before substantial investigations and conclusions were reached. With Burgergate, some NCAA guy (not Stapleton) came out with a public statement about the case before it was resolved. Could Stapleton, being on the committee for a while have influenced that? Certainly possible. And even if you go back to StretchGate, information was leaked by someone to Rosenberg - someone with inside information. It's well known and documented by Bacon in his book that Stapleton didn't like Rodriguez and was probably bitter about English not being selected, and Lord knows what else.
Yes, is there any definitive evidence of any of this? No. But like U.S. Marshal Sam Girard says in The Fugitive when walking out of the one-armed guy's house, "Cosmo, this guy's dirty". Michigan has been nailed now for 3 seemingly minor violation cases in the last 15 years, while most other schools have gotten away scot free
At a bare minimum, there's a serious conflict of interest issue with this guy serving on the infractions committee and being involved (presumably) with investigations related to Michigan. In this case, it's the opposite of what one would expect - he shouldn't be on it because he's prejudiced against Michigan. But this needs to be brought to light to make people more aware of the shady way the NCAA operates.
October 25th, 2023 at 6:15 PM ^
At the very least as JUB reported this guys sideline pass was revoked and yet he sits in judgment. Is our fate decided again by the 2016 Buckeye ref crew? How did that teach young amateur athletes anything other than some adults suck and life ain't fair?
October 26th, 2023 at 3:53 PM ^
I think this demonstrates that Stapleton has both a conflict of interest (motive) and insider connections at Michigan / the NCAA (means and opportunity). And the nature of this “scandal” implies some degree of insider involvement.
Not proof, but it’s definitely worth noting that there is someone in the NCAA compliance process with a demonstrated axe to grind who has apparently not recused himself.
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:38 PM ^
I was fully prepared to roll my eyes at this post...but wow, seems like this is a real thing
October 23rd, 2023 at 8:38 PM ^
I'm gonna put a flaming bag of dogshit on this guy's porch.