LSAClassOf2000

November 8th, 2023 at 3:59 PM ^

If that is the case, then it would have to mean that - slowly, surely - he is realizing that he may very well have been gaslit by 13 schools whose sole uniting desire is to see the current reigning conference champion falter somehow, and that this is ultimately an untenable position without any support from the very thing that he has refused to complete or even apparently contemplate seriously, which is any sort of due process. 

I mean, we asked for a really simple thing. I certainly hope Petitti realizes that, even if belatedly and after torching his credibility in a very public manner. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130816

michgoblue

November 8th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^

After a decade plus (or several decades) of this country growing more polarized by the day, and the danger of partisanship now threatening to tear apart our country, the one thing that can bring the two sides together . . . that what is happening to the University of Michigan is straight-up bullshit.  

We truly are the greatest university in the world.

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: 32198

Noleverine

November 8th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^

“Should you, as the commissioner of the Big Ten conference, rush to judgement or engage in any ill-considered actions, we will vigorously support our public universities in their efforts to compel fairness and due process.”

Translation: You don’t want us to have to get involved. FAFO. 

Joined: 10/06/2010

MGoPoints: 3848

michgoblue

November 8th, 2023 at 3:57 PM ^

Dear Tony,

When you look around the schools that make up the big ten, ask yourself the following questions:

1.  Which school has the most affluent and influential alumni base?

2.  Which school is the largest driver of your TV deal?

3.  Which school has the largest money cannon to use on things like attorneys, PR firms and the like?

4.  Which school do you think has the most connections in state and federal government?

 

The answer to all of those questions is undebatable: The University of Michigan.  And, take note that we are no longer hamstrung by our former sports-hating president, who allowed Michigan to get shit on my inferior schools.  We replaced his ass with a guy who is unabashedly a supporter of our sports programs and who, by all accounts, is not going to take crap.

You know that stereotype about Michigan alumni and fans being so arrogant?  You're about to find out where that comes from.  

Buckle up.

Sincerely, 

The Greatest University In The World

Joined: 11/16/2009

MGoPoints: 32198

Billy Ray Valentine

November 8th, 2023 at 3:59 PM ^

Regardless of whether he imposes a premature suspension or not, I think our fanbase (and any other person who cares about the B1G's future) needs to demand Petitti's resignation after the season. Absent a full mea culpa for making this whole overblown nonsense so much worse, Petitti has proven that he's not up to the job. It's only a matter of time before he screws up something else. USC, Oregon, Washington, and UCLA are probably having a major case of the flop sweats. If I were them, I would have second thoughts, and I'd be looking at options.

Joined: 02/04/2012

MGoPoints: 9524

superstringer

November 8th, 2023 at 4:04 PM ^

I have been ruminating on this too.

USC, Washington, Oregon, UCLA... plus Michigan ... plus Notre Dame... full time to ACC. You can't tell me that wouldn't get a contract similar to or better than B1G has right now?  And think of the academics -- Stanford and Cal, USC, UCLA, Michigan, ND, Duke, UVa, UNC... 

(Ok, the UM-SMU game would be a bit of a smash n grab job, but, still.)

 

Joined: 02/04/2009

MGoPoints: 18312

FreddieMercuryHayes

November 8th, 2023 at 4:00 PM ^

I mean I suppose Petitti is good at TV contracts and stuff, but man he is really out of his depth on this.  The fact that this wasn’t quashed/punted 2 weeks ago is amazing.  Did he not see this coming?  Why weren’t UNC and UT hammered?  Why did PSU get sanctions lifted.  State legislatures threatening.  Leadership isn’t always giving the crowd blood.   Could have easily listened to bitching, deferred saying needed to get more info.  Seriously if he thought this is the biggest scandal in B1G history, he has no buisness being commish.

 

Joined: 12/29/2010

MGoPoints: 40902

SFBayAreaBlue

November 8th, 2023 at 4:01 PM ^

So we've got lawmakers, TV execs, former conference commissioners, and a growing CHORUS of pundits telling Pettite to slow his roll, man up, and not be a fucking dipshit. 

I'm guessing he dawdles until monday and after watching us destroy psu on the field, drops the hammer with a very harshly worded reprimand. 

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 10543

stephenrjking

November 8th, 2023 at 4:02 PM ^

I generally think getting politics involved in sports is stupid.

This seems vaguely absurd to me.

But it does demonstrate some real pressure, and when you go to the mattresses, you go to the mattresses. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20144031

superstringer

November 8th, 2023 at 4:08 PM ^

Kinda disagree?

What public institution in the state makes more money than UM? The highest paid employee in the state is Jim, right? (He was #2 until... things happened recently.) What happens to UM and MSU is a political issue at some point, just like UVa and VT when the ACC was expanding years ago. This is not just about the outcome of a game now; this is about business. If a bunch of politicians wrote the B1G "Commissioner" (in name only, not in skills) about a blown call or something, that's absurd. But this isn't.

Joined: 02/04/2009

MGoPoints: 18312

stephenrjking

November 8th, 2023 at 4:15 PM ^

I’m not saying that Michigan, in its conviction to fight against a rushed public outrage dogpile, is wrong to rally support from legislators. Just that getting politics involved in sports disputes is silly, and even to your argument, it seems odd that government pressure is involved in a decision process due to its potential impact on television revenue distributed to an organization that is nominally non-profit. 

It’s not that Michigan is in error here, just that the entire situation has accelerated way out of proportion.

This is, after all, just a game. 

Joined: 03/15/2012

MGoPoints: 20144031

kehnonymous

November 8th, 2023 at 4:43 PM ^

In a vacuum, I wouldn't disagree with you about the silliness of this all - in a larger sense college football is the silliest thing ever.  That said, because of the way this has all played out, this has become something of a proxy fight over the in-conference standing of the most prestigious university in the state and that is germane to the legislature in their capacity as representatives of the state of Michigan.

It has accelerated way out of proportion and I too worry about continuing escalation.  But the B1G made it this way and since we're here already I have no problem with a politely worded "Back off" letter from state reps that takes their staffs all of an hour to write.  Now, if we get performative grandstanding in the form of a televised hearing, which has annoyingly happened before, then I'll agree 99% with you (the 1% being where I would love to see Ryan Day's beard dye melting off his face as he's grilled by Michigan congresspeople)

Joined: 11/25/2011

MGoPoints: 33258

TIMMMAAY

November 8th, 2023 at 4:23 PM ^

It's the reputation of the flagship university in the state, that is at stake. I think this is precisely the kind of thing they should do in a case like this, and I'd feel exactly the same way if it were MSU in this position. It's wild to me how often, and fully I disagree with your view of things... 

Joined: 09/08/2008

MGoPoints: 56336