Tony Petitti says he and Michigan ‘have moved past the friction’
I guess it's now time to move on since Harbaugh's gone.
Petitti said he and Manuel have moved past the friction and even sat next to each other at a dinner the night before Michigan played Alabama in the CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Petitti called Manuel “one of the leaders in our room.”
February 14th, 2024 at 10:35 PM ^
Petitti is incorrect.
February 14th, 2024 at 11:15 PM ^
Is it incorrect? Seems plausible.
That would've burned me up if I were Jim. Screw Warde.
February 14th, 2024 at 11:21 PM ^
Is Petty’s comment about wards being the adult a shot at harbaugh or at the other ad’s?
February 15th, 2024 at 12:21 AM ^
He didn't call Warde the adult, he called him one of the leaders in the room. I don't think it was necessarily a shot at Jim or the other ADs. Michigan won the NC and is the jewel of the Big Ten. He needs to say "everything's OK" between the conference and Michigan. Petitti may be an idiot, but I'm sure he's a world class boot licker.
The broader quote relates to the BIG suspending Harbaugh:
"Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel, in a piercing statement following the suspension, called the Big Ten's actions during an NCAA investigation "completely unethical" and "an assault on the rights of everyone."
Petitti said he and Manuel have moved past the friction and even sat next to each other at a dinner the night before Michigan played Alabama in the CFP semifinal at the Rose Bowl. Petitti called Manuel "one of the leaders in our room."
February 15th, 2024 at 12:18 AM ^
Man, it’s hard not to take it as a spite toward Harbaugh. And the timing and source of this article just reeks.
February 15th, 2024 at 6:14 AM ^
Yeah, this really chaps my ass.
Fuck you petitti you fucking little weasel twerp. Warde is a spineless POS IMO, passive ass pencil pushing jackass, I can't stand him.
February 15th, 2024 at 7:29 AM ^
Even though I resent Harbaugh taking away all of our continuity I’m still pissed At Petitti. Dude should be tarred and feathered. This season worked out for us, but that suspension could have derailed a magical year. How bad would that have been?
Harbaugh might have left anyway but that garbage had to have contributed to his decision. Instead of cleaning up in the transfer portal we’re looking for coaches.
February 15th, 2024 at 12:36 PM ^
SD Mick -- 100%. Petitti is a straight-up asshole. But what is also true is Warde is a pencil-pushing (keyboard-typing?) empty suit who probably sucks up very hard to the Regents to stay in good graces.
Seriously, at this point you can buy a computer program to balance the AD budget. And it will have more people skills than Warde. It's pretty clear that Warde's ego could not handle Jim Harbaugh.
We won the National Championship in spite of all of this. That makes Team 144 even more special.
February 15th, 2024 at 7:52 AM ^
What Petitti did will never be over for me. Screw that MFer.
I was at the NC game in Houston. When the scoreboard went down to zero and we were the champs, after hugging my son, another Michigan alum, the first words I said were "screw you, Tony Petitti!"
I remain of the opinion that there is no reason to stay in the B1G and if we do stay, we should be asking for our fair share of revenue.
February 15th, 2024 at 10:16 AM ^
Wow, who's Pettiti now?
Seriously though, Pettiti was the last thing I was thinking about after we won. I'd rather enjoy the moment than think of people whose faces I want to rub it in.
February 16th, 2024 at 6:29 AM ^
I hear you. I was and remain incredibly angry about the way signgate went down. It besmirches a team that was where it was because of talent and hard work along with tarnishing the reputation of my university. It seriously pains me to be called a cheater.
I have no love for Ryan Day and the rest of the coaches who joined him with Petitti. Letting it go gets us nowhere. I wonder how those schools would feel if their TV revenue were reduced by 1/5.
Having said that, you are right. Negative thoughts are not a good thing to hold on to but I have never been good turning the other cheek when I feel I have been unjustly wronged. After cursing out Petiti I went on to celebrate. It took a week to get the smile off my face.
February 15th, 2024 at 8:08 AM ^
He may be correct that it's over between Warde and him, but it ain't over between Michigan nation and him. It'll never be over until he's fired.
February 15th, 2024 at 8:44 AM ^
Not even then.
February 15th, 2024 at 11:33 AM ^
How do you sign someone up for the hotel in Old Boy?
February 15th, 2024 at 11:27 AM ^
Of course they've moved past the friction! Pee-titty is still B1G commissioner and doubtless has the favor of all of his constituents not located in Ann Arbor based on how he handled the Connor Stalions situation. Warde is still U of M Athletic Director and now has a Head Football Coach that will be easier to push around. I think Sherrone is a great choice and I'm excited to see what he can do, but at this point he doesn't have Jim's clout. The regents are still in their seats talking about how there was nothing that could have been done to retain Jim. The only entity that took a hit from all of this is Michigan Football.
February 14th, 2024 at 10:36 PM ^
Petitti can go "frict"ion himself.
February 14th, 2024 at 11:45 PM ^
Petty is on my S* list and I can't imagine there is anything he can ever do to get off it. Now that I have read what he said in the linked article he has actually managed to get deeper.
February 15th, 2024 at 6:15 AM ^
Sad part is that we probably ARE "past the friction" but we shoudn't be .
Warde might be...the fans certainly aren't.
February 15th, 2024 at 7:19 AM ^
Hey Little Tony, would you like to put your conviction to the test? Come on up to Michigan for the first home game of the 2024 season and address the crowd.
February 15th, 2024 at 8:25 AM ^
Maybe Petitti can present the B1G Championship trophy to Warde during a halftime ceremony - while someone else gives the NC trophy to Ono.
February 15th, 2024 at 9:00 AM ^
Ya know that "voting by applause thing" where someone holds their hand up to each person in turn?
Put Warde and Tiny PeePee Pettiti on the 50 yd line. See what kind of reaction each gets. I genuinely don't know who'd get booed more right now... my guess is PeePee, but not by much.
February 15th, 2024 at 9:31 AM ^
That's how fires get started, Rob
February 15th, 2024 at 1:52 PM ^
You want to "move past the friction" Pettiti? Let's see you do something about Ohio State's massive NIL inducements and Portal tampering. Not to mention hiring a PI just to dig up dirt on a conference member, which you fell for like a clown.
You want to move past the friction? Then stop the fucking friction.
February 15th, 2024 at 3:14 PM ^
Petit guy friction = thumb + index finger.
February 14th, 2024 at 10:36 PM ^
He has to make nice now that Warde is the chair of the CFP committee.
February 15th, 2024 at 6:06 AM ^
Why? Warde sitting next to him making friends is all the indication you need regarding who was kissing the ring. Warde will do exactly as he is told.
Makes me forgive Harbaugh completely for raiding the coaches. If I were him, I’d have done more.
February 15th, 2024 at 8:37 AM ^
Yeah, any annoyance I had at Harbaugh for leaving is gone. Of course he didn't want to keep working under such a spineless coward.
February 15th, 2024 at 9:44 AM ^
I was going to upvote, but your last line cancelled that idea.
February 15th, 2024 at 10:16 AM ^
How do you know that was the dynamic? It could've been the other way around -- Petitti making sure he sat next to Warde so he could try to smooth things over and Warde enjoying the kissing up.
February 15th, 2024 at 10:19 AM ^
Exactly, who was kissing whose ring? I actually think your scenario is MORE plausible. Michigan (the team and coaches, at least, which is what everyone outside of our fandom sees) has taken a "screw the haters" stance and Pettiti needs to make nice so the Big Ten looks good coming out of all of this. He doesn't want to look like he's still coming down hard on the team that just won the national championship - he needs to publicly embrace Michigan and that means putting out soundbites like this and sitting next to Warde.
February 15th, 2024 at 1:54 PM ^
Then go after Ohio State's endless bullshit like he should have all along. That will "publicly embrace" Michigan.
February 15th, 2024 at 10:57 AM ^
It doesn't matter. Anyone who thinks there's a power disparity here is completely missing the point.
What's abundantly clear from this exchange is that Michigan and college athletics mean nothing to these sociopaths. They are only about themselves, and will happily shit all over both to further their own careers. Michigan and the B1G didn't make up; Manuel and Pettiti made out.
Like all other things, this isn't Michigan vs. the B1G; it's fat empty suits like Manuel and Pettiti vs. everything they're put in charge of. If there was anything to fiduciary duty in these contexts, both should be in serious trouble. But the world is run by a country club, and to both of them that's far more valuable than any institutions they're put in charge of.
February 15th, 2024 at 3:09 PM ^
This This This and THIS.
And for those who might say that it's always been like this...then it is now, too.
February 15th, 2024 at 8:50 PM ^
Warde is not a leader, he is not a man that his peers follow. Petitty could well have sat next to Warde to make nice, and Warde would have made nice. I don't doubt that could be the way it worked out.
But what I do know is that Warde did nothing to dispel the making nice. He did nothing to make a stand against unfair treatment. He did nothing to show that Michigan isn't over it.
I know this because Warde is not a leader among his peers. He's a capable administrative suit, and nothing more.
February 15th, 2024 at 12:40 PM ^
HateSparty --
+100 for your first statement. -100 for your second statement. As much as I understand what Harbaugh did, I'm not ready to say it's all good. Everything Harbaugh did this offseason was for himself. He dragged out the timing and then destroyed the continuity that was supposedly so important.
February 14th, 2024 at 10:38 PM ^
It’s a big club…and YOU AIN’T IN IT!
Of course Harbaugh wanted nothing to do with this politicking cabal.
February 15th, 2024 at 11:05 AM ^
Shitbag professional administrators like Pettiti and Warde hate people like Harbaugh who go out and do things
February 14th, 2024 at 10:39 PM ^
Fuck him I hope all 17 other teams miss the playoff next year
February 14th, 2024 at 10:50 PM ^
You forgot a 0.
February 14th, 2024 at 11:05 PM ^
15 years a member and no posts until last month. Wow.
Gotta give you an upvote, just in case you're like a 15-yr cicada.
February 14th, 2024 at 11:55 PM ^
Warde's job is to make sure Ohio State does not get in. Keep it simple and stay focused, Warde.
February 15th, 2024 at 9:47 AM ^
That would take some leadership in a room full of peers - something of which Warde is not. As the CFP Chairman, he is merely the mouthpiece the others need to publicly defend the dumb decisions they will inevitably make.
February 14th, 2024 at 10:39 PM ^
Well, fuck him
February 15th, 2024 at 8:01 AM ^
Fuck both of them.
February 14th, 2024 at 10:40 PM ^
Very strange way for him to look at and talk about it, but he seems to be framing it as Michigan having been punished appropriately, instead of like he wishes he could have done more. I guess that's good for public perception. I just don't get where his outrage went
February 14th, 2024 at 10:44 PM ^
Blew it right into his thimble
February 14th, 2024 at 11:12 PM ^
He did his job by chasing Harbaugh off to the NFL. Of course all is well now in his eyes.
February 15th, 2024 at 4:56 AM ^
He just chased off his prized press cow in Harbaugh. Love him or hate him, he’s a walking headline who brings recognition (good and bad) wherever he goes. Ryan Day has the personality of a thrombosed hemorrhoid so enjoy that Petitti!
February 15th, 2024 at 8:42 AM ^
The real question is why isn't the "journalist" asking Tiny Tony when he will be banning sign-stealing in the Big Ten?
In fact, why isn't Warde Manuel asking him that? Constantly? Publicly?
Because according to Tiny Tony, he had to ban Harbaugh in large part to save the players from injury due to the unfair advantages of sign-stealing.
If he really believes that, surely he is working day and night to prevent all the injuries that will be caused by programs stealing signs next year.
Unless, of course, he is an idiot who was taken for a ride and acted like an impulsive turd in suspending Harbaugh for three games.
February 15th, 2024 at 11:57 AM ^
His outrage left when Jim did. Make no mistake something in the combo of Michigan/Harbaugh broke the entire CFB world. Harbaugh was pretty much considered the king of underdogs his entire career and somehow put him in a UofM cap and he is hated. How many articles have you seen from the media scolding the Chargers for hiring a known cheater? Not a single one?? He was the scourge of college football just 4 months ago? What happened? Is he a new man now?
Nah the goal of all of this was to run him out of town. Now the media is ok with him AND also ok with UM. Its easy to see that the whole point of the NCAA, BIG10, OSU, Msu, SEC (alumns in high positions) was to move Harbaugh on. Maybe it was death by paper cuts or full on assaults but they all did their part. Now all of them are perfectly appeased and the media thinks of coach as a fine upstanding man again. Curious.