Regardless of the 2023 season outcome, Michigan needs to leave the Big Ten
Since the allegations sprung up in late October, the Big Ten and its members have acted in worse faith than I could’ve ever imagined. The actions of the commissioner, giving into mob rule is ridiculous.
If they want to set this precedent, have at it. Michigan in February 2024 should announce they are leaving the conference, to join whatever conference (SEC, ACC w/e) with Notre Dame.
Yes. This means ending the OSU rivalry and the MSU shit fest. That conference can go televise Iowa vs. Northwestern with their new television deal.
have fun trying to join the next super conference Alan Haller, you’ll be left in the dust.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:24 AM ^
I think about this a lot. Was hoping they did it last week. Just cut the 2 seconds of " a proud member of the big then conference" and splice it together and itd probably be something like "we are in pursuit of national championships blah blah.
I REALLY hope they do something different for the last game.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
Suspending Harbaugh midflight less than 12 hours before the biggest game of the season so far is egregious.
Leave this shit stain of a conference and let OSU rot on the vine.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:16 AM ^
Infinite upvotes.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
Never play OSU again after beating them 3 times in a row. Leave the B10 after winning it 3 times in a row. I want Jim MF Harbaugh to accept the trophy from Petitti while sticking out both middle fingers a la Tom Brady. Then go win the playoff
November 11th, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
Treat it like the NHL players do the conference trophies. Don’t even touch it.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:45 AM ^
It's bad luck.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
Absolutely. This conference has gone out of their way to protect OSU at every conceivable time, and now they go out of their way to fuck Michigan over. It's time to leave. Loyalty to those that are actively stabbing you in the back is foolish.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:22 AM ^
Not only the conference - but the NCAA as well.
I recall the video / social media of an OSU player working with a coach during a dead period, Day replies with “hang a hundred” - and the B1G / NCAA did nothing.
This is not equitable treatment.
Mike Wilbon, a sportswriter, Northwestern alum, and Trustee - described the B1G’s actions yesterday as sanctimonious. I don’t always agree with him - but, he’s spot on with that comment.
November 11th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Yeah, agree on NCAA. I think it is time that useless organization is put out to pasture and we acknowledge what college sports has become.
Also, why on earth are the NCAA and B1G both able to govern? Are there any other sports where a league and the parent organization are both able to issue a bunch of antiquated rules and enforce them unevenly? Time to blow them up and get players paid.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
I hate the idea of 18 teams, no divisions, and a championship game that could be a rematch from earlier in the season anyway.
Anyone know how much notice is required to leave?
November 11th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
If we were to leave, would the TV networks (Fox, NBC) be able to sue BigTen for like breach of contract or something (not a lawyer so just throwing legal sounding words out there)?
You'd have to assume a decent part of their justification for agreeing to contracts with the BigTen involved the ability to broadcast Michigan games. That would be removed. What happens to those TV contracts?
November 11th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
I'm curious about that too. It depends on what's in the contract obviously. But they paid $7 to $8 billion to televise the Big Ten, and you have to think Michigan is worth at least $1 billion of that, probably more.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
I would imagine the TV execs would re-work the deals to pay less. So in the end, the main schools that would be hurt would be the smaller schools that backed OSU during all of this.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:55 AM ^
Petitti never saw a golden goose that he didn't want strangled to death. What a buffoon. Dave Brandon level idiocy.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
In the 12 team college playoff format, if you're an independent, you can never draw the bye. So join an established conference (either the SEC or ACC).
I don't think "partnering" with anyone for anything is a good idea. But it's possible Notre Dame may join a conference for football under the new format.
Either way, I don't think the Big Ten can go forward with both the University of Michigan and Tony Petitti. One has to leave.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:10 AM ^
There's no guarantee Petitti's replacement would be any better. Just leave and let the B1G rename itself THE B1G since only one team matters in this conference.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:28 AM ^
Either way, Petiti has to be punished for the abysmal way he handled this.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:25 AM ^
So, your point is.. no bye. And, that means.. Michigan might have to host a first round playoff game - in December - in Michigan Stadium.
As a season ticket holder, am I guaranteed a ticket - ideally in my regular seats? Count me in.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:26 AM ^
The executive committee okayed the punishment. This goes beyond Pettiti.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
It's not just Tony - 13 colleges got on a conference call after excusing Michigan to fuck them over for 90 minutes.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
It's not just Tony - 13 colleges got on a conference call after excusing Michigan to fuck them over for 90 minutes.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:31 AM ^
If Michigan joins another conference, who's to say the same thing won't happen again?
In my view, independent is the only way to go. Screw whether we draw the bye.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
Why just join an existing conference? Let's be the leaders and the best and start a super conference, cherry picking from the other conferences. We can turn college athletics upside down.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
And run it independent of the NCAA.
November 11th, 2023 at 12:33 PM ^
Yep. Let the NCAA keep the Tulsas and MSUs and bring the top programs to a new place that isn't governed by kangaroo courts and star chambers.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
It would be satisfying.
The practicalities of this seem difficult.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:56 AM ^
Agreed
November 11th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
Michigan has to leave. No way forward with how this has gone down.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
Would love it if the PAC 12 schools joining the B1G would reconsider and join Michigan and Notre Dame.
Do they really want to share revenue with a bunch of little weenie schools that are willing to collude against them to make OSU look good?
November 11th, 2023 at 5:44 PM ^
That would be awesome. Take 6-8 pac teams, plus ND and form a new conference. We surely would get a couple other quality programs to join us.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:57 AM ^
I want out as well. I've never seen a conference sabotage another team like they are trying to sabotage Michigan. Let's face it, it isn't really the Big 10 anymore anyway. The only thing that really matters is dollars and if they can find the dollars somewhere else I would hope they would dump the rest of the dead weight.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:14 AM ^
Great point.
It isn't the BigTen anymore. Rutgers vs UCLA???
November 11th, 2023 at 10:58 AM ^
Yes.get OUT and sue the fuck out of the BIG
November 11th, 2023 at 11:21 AM ^
Demolish those orcs.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
This would be a huge domino to fall. A step one of a new league ran by the NFL. Selective teams, the rest can stay in the NCAA.
November 11th, 2023 at 10:59 AM ^
They’ve got to find a way out. No way this damage is repaired. Tony Tiny Peepee can eat my shit.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
My guess is the B1G doesn't care with Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and USC coming in next year and to be honest, while Michigan is a huge brand the effect of Michigan leaving would be partially offset with these additions. Is Michigan likely guilty of some violations? Most likely, but does that mean they should be punished before the investigation is complete? By no means, this is not the American way, and is in itself unsportsmanlike. Just goes to prove as with so many other issues over the past couple of decades that the school that matters to the B1G is OSU and only OSU. Screw them, bring on the SEC, ACC, B12 or independence. Since I live in South Carolina I would love to see them join the SEC or ACC so I could catch a game in person, but aside from that all I care about is Michigan leaving the B1G.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:06 AM ^
Well talk USC into leaving with them. The others would follow.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:13 AM ^
I don't think it matters at this point what the hurts/helps the B1G (maybe that was your point?)
The only question is whether UM can be viable/successful across all sports.
I would suspect that the ACC with an ND-like deal would make the most sense.
I think that OSU matters most to the B1G only in the sense that UM never really complained much in past decades and never fought back. That is clearly no longer the case..
November 11th, 2023 at 11:28 AM ^
My guess is the B1G doesn't care with Washington, Oregon, UCLA, and USC coming in next year and to be honest, while Michigan is a huge brand the effect of Michigan leaving would be partially offset with these additions.
It can't be overstated how valuable the Michigan-OSU game is to the conference. It's the most-watched game, by a good measure, every year in college football. None of the four new programs can recoup that. Losing that would be devastating and cause the TV contract to significantly drop.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
An annual UM-ND game would be the new #1
November 11th, 2023 at 11:32 AM ^
They would lose hundreds of millions in re-negotiated deals. That is certain.
Astonishing that Big Ten would push it this far.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:00 AM ^
This is, perhaps, Toby's best post since ever...
November 11th, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
Independence. Profit sharing with players. Rip the band-aid, and abandon the NCAA. A model where there is relegation, and everyone can play their rival IF they want to put them on the schedule.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:01 AM ^
AGREE!!
November 11th, 2023 at 11:02 AM ^
If this thing goes to court and there’s a bunch of extra litigation like it seems like it’s trending to, I don’t see how the B1G, most of the other teams, and Michigan could co-exist moving forward.
All this over signs? Fucking signs that are visible to hundreds of thousands of people, have minimal advantages according to pretty much everybody, and it’s still unknown if they were used for game planning.
If Harbaugh does come back next season, I would like for Michigan to stay in the B1G to shove it down everyone’s throat but this is another non-football related chore that Harbaugh is going to have to deal with and I just don’t think he wants to do that.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:17 AM ^
It was never about signs. I hate to say it, but I agree with Cowherd, this is nothing more than the rest of the Big Ten panicked because Michigan and Harbaugh are pulling away from the conference.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
I think he is more likely than ever to comeback. He is getting United support from everyone now.
November 11th, 2023 at 11:36 AM ^
Regardless if JH is back (I hope he is), Michigan is losing so much talent after this year they are probably going to drop at least a couple games next year. Cant see them being nearly as dominant, and as soon as they lose a game we'll have to relive the whole "see they only won bc they cheated" bullshit