Wisconsin chancellor supposedly negotiated the deal between M and BIG
Rumor has it the Chancelor of Wisconsin played a big role in both parties coming to terms.
Supposedly after a heated head of universities call yesterday.
She is apparently a major bad ass. Her background is in law, evidentiary law , athletics etc.
Apparently she made quite an impression on all involved.
That’s all I know.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:01 PM ^
That is, why would they get involved at that level?
November 16th, 2023 at 5:59 PM ^
Not sure what she brokered, but she must be good with words to get Michigan to agree that:
- Every word out of Pete fucking Thamel's mouth and pen is validated
- Every word out of Rece Davis' fucking mouth is validated
- Every word out of Stephen A Smith's fucking mouth is validated
- Every word out of <insert shitty take name here> fucking mouth is validated
- All the success from the previous three years is due to cheating
- Michigan has perpetrated the biggest scandal in the Big Ten's history
- Michigan football cheats
What actually happened no longer matters. The statement just admitted to all of it. The statement, without a reason explaining why we'd agree to this, is nothing more than Michigan bending over the table and raising its skirt in abject submission.
Was the TRO going to lose? Okay, so what? We take that L and expect the lawsuit to win in the end. Keep your pride. But nope - no pride here. Just submission to the courageous new Commissioner that showed real leadership in the face of terrible consequences.
I keep posting this among many threads - I can't believe so many people on this board are good with this result. I'd rather take the L in the court system than roll over like this. The Huddle Helmet I've had at my desk for several years will be coming home tomorrow. I cannot be proud of this submission, under these circumstances.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:02 PM ^
I don’t think everyone is OK with the result. Maybe some people want to, I don’t know, maybe wait until more information comes out to react?
I do know seeing your post more than once makes me want to downvote you, so there’s that.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:07 PM ^
Go ahead with the downvote, it doesn't matter. I still haven't received my shirtless poster of Brian for crossing 50K...
Nonetheless, the point is that it doesn't matter what "information comes out" from here on out. It can only get worse. If it's somehow good for Michigan, it doesn't matter because the world now knows we cheated - the straight up capitulation proves it.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:15 PM ^
I get it. You are upset. So am I.
I live in Ohio and will get to hear from every mouth breathing cooler pooper about how Michigan cheats. I already had a drunk moron at a Halloween party yell at me 4 times about how UM cheats. I guess it’s my fault for living here.
none of us have any idea why they did it maybe the Big 10 had more information maybe UM realized they couldn’t win and wanted to focus on the players maybe the Big 10 threatened additional penalties, since they never said this was it maybe the Big 10 will work with the NCAA to minimize anything further
the point is that no one knows right now, so why rant about it?
I won’t turn mgoblog into a spot where rival fans can laugh at my silly take. I wish people showed more restraint.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:21 PM ^
The emotional outbursts on here are wild. I think people got really really sure that big fancy lawyers would crush the B1G. I think the reality is that the B1G has a LOT of latitude to do whatever it wants and any attempt at a coherent argument is enough to get around an injunction (which is a big step and something courts don't love doing). I think putting this to bed is the right call, especially if there is some confidence that this is mostly the end of it. I really don't think the NCAA is going to do much here tbh
November 16th, 2023 at 6:35 PM ^
Well it’s not like Harbaugh, Warde, Moore, Ono set us up to expect a fight then completely let us down. No, not like that at all. I wonder why everyone is so pissed.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:43 PM ^
They filed a TRO and threatened litigation over the conference's use of an arbitrary bylaw. They did it on Veteran's day and were ready to get an exemption for Saturday. But once the court punted to Friday they probably read the tea leaves and assumed they wouldn't get a ruling until next week, and there's no promise you're going to win on the merits.
Fighting doesn't always mean scorched earth, and if you can get the other side that is acting arbitrary and vindictive to agree to stop fucking with you then that's a win. It's not a perfect win but I'm sure the conference wasn't happy about being taken to court.
I'll take the down votes so people can vent but nobody was let down here unless your end goal was just setting shit on fire because you're angry.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:49 PM ^
I think a lot of people had basically decided that our fancy lawyers and the fact that the B1G was being scummy af basically meant we couldn't lose in court. But our legal case was pretty weak in actuality and that's simply because we signed a contract with the B1G in good faith, much better faith than it deserves. The rules are so vague as to allow them to bone us on a whim. We need to be thinking about how to prevent that from happening again. This is a small win from a shitty situation
November 16th, 2023 at 7:32 PM ^
Yeah, I never read much into the law firm they hired other than the fact they were hiring a law firm to file a TRO. And honestly, judges despise the appearance of bias so the minute he didn't sign grant the TRO and they all played hot potato with it I had a sense they'd have hemmed and hawed around it, claim there wasn't irreparable harm, and then UM would have had to appeal it up the chain and within a week it becomes moot.
At least now the deck has been cleared and everyone knows the scope of the punishment and its limits going forward. It's still a bullshit case but lots of times people settle for something in order to not deal with higher potential penalties down the line.
November 16th, 2023 at 9:32 PM ^
Rational take. I don't understand yet why they did this but I have not been able to imagine a better explanation yet. Will probably visit this blog near every day for the rest of the year searching for answers, particularly if we keep winning. In the meantime, Beat Maryland !
November 16th, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^
I get that and they did get in a fighting stance and took a couple swings. But the chance that we win on Friday were very slim imo and so the suspension was getting served either way. If we can get the B1G to back off and skip the courtroom drama and get the team focused on football for the next 9 days, I'm fine with that. Sucks but it's extracting a win out of a shitty situation
November 16th, 2023 at 6:38 PM ^
Yet every other school has no problem avoiding trouble. We are punished because we are the only school that bends over and takes it. Even if you lose you need to make it so expensive that it is not worth it. Michigan has, again, said we are the school that will accept punishment so investigate us.
November 16th, 2023 at 10:47 PM ^
Exactly right. We just hung a sign on our door asking to be screwed again, anytime, for anything that anyone wants to complain about loudly enough.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:23 PM ^
I still haven't received my shirtless poster of Brian for crossing 50K..
I thought I was the only one
November 16th, 2023 at 6:38 PM ^
No that poster is 100k points and up.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:50 PM ^
I HAVE 100K POINTS!!!! WTH IS MY POSTER???
November 16th, 2023 at 8:05 PM ^
The sign of a good deal is when both sides are equally unhappy by the outcome!
November 16th, 2023 at 6:04 PM ^
I'm sure Jim Harbaugh will be giving us all a very long, in-depth explanation very soon. An exclusive with Jenny Taft to be featured during the halftime break of the Michigan-Maryland game.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:05 PM ^
That’s well said, I appreciate it. I can’t make sense of any of this, and can only hope there will be more information forthcoming.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:06 PM ^
I have said the same things. I think it looks really bad. This is all I got back from someone usually pretty close.
trying to find out why or what.
shoot me, but at least you have a crumb to try and follow.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:08 PM ^
I am surprised this isn’t downvoted more given that it seems to be a gross overreaction. Care to explain how Michigan admitted to all of those things you list?
November 16th, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
Those admissions will be the media narrative. Why are we agreeing to a suspension if we did nothing wrong?
2 potential answers to that question really, and neither are good. Either we did do something wrong or we decided we can't or won't fight it.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:16 PM ^
They accepted the punishment for no further investigation and the statement from the Big 10 says we are guilty and they are punishing us for it.
this is an undoubted admission that all that was accomplished is tainted.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:30 PM ^
Statement from B1G specifically said Harbaugh had no connection they know of. What you said is not true.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:35 PM ^
No connection but the program is guilty of the worst scandal in history and everything in their official legal reply is now true. JH does not know but the program is cheating and deserves no credit. This is a really bad look.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:19 PM ^
Every person of importance at Michigan made a big deal about due process and then gave up before heading to court. If that doesn’t look like an admission of guilt, then I don’t know what does?
Michigan showed that they believed Stalions was guilty when they suspended him, but pushed back when Harbaugh received punishment from the Big Ten without a full investigation. If they now accept the punishment and no longer want due process, what does that say?
November 16th, 2023 at 6:41 PM ^
I’m currently on the road and forced to eat at Applebees. Sitting at the bar and Sportscenter is on. I’ve been watching for a half hour and no less than 6 different people have talked about this story and every single one has said ‘Michigan must have found more evidence or been presented with more evidence of wrongdoing and therefore decided it couldn’t win and would likely be more heavily punished.’
Of course these people have no idea and are speculating but that’s all it takes.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
Agree with the OP.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
You understand there was no path forward, right?
Maybe we could have delayed the result, however, the Big 10 has the authority to issue sanctions and to keep issuing sanctions as long as the committee authorizes it.
That is the reality. The Big 10 is done issuing sanctions on this issue and we get to play for the Big 10 championship assuming we beat OSU.
We had a weak hand and we bluffed it into a pretty decent result.
This gives us finality with the Big 10 and preserves the season.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:34 PM ^
Yep. We had a weak hand when the fucking committee is comprised of assholes. UM agreed to all these bylaws and the committee and it is dumb. They should know better.
I sure hope they leave this conference eventually. Otherwise, this is another one of those beat down for UM that they continue to take. I will very disappointed in UM if they don't do something in the long run. I am little bit ashamed of my university today that they didn't fight back. Hope they do in the future.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:56 PM ^
No, it doesn't offer any finality - the B1G never said it was done! They could add to it for literally any reason. All we did is capitulate, which sets us up for more if the raging mob decides they want it.
If we had lost in court, so be it. At least we go down with pride. This? There is no pride in abject submission, only shame.
November 16th, 2023 at 7:37 PM ^
"The Big 10 is done issuing sanctions on this issue "
Based on what? They specifically said they reserve the right to add more sanctions based on the NCAA investigation.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:20 PM ^
Totally agree. Posted something similar on a different thread, and I will continue to ask: What did UM get in this negotiation? Feels like institutional failure.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:23 PM ^
Seems to me like you answered your own question. Whatever suddenly compelled Michigan to give up and accept all of that must have been pretty bad, because there's zero reason to do it otherwise.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:41 PM ^
Then it’s coming out in the NCAA investigation, regardless. The NCAA would already have it due to B1G’s cooperation.
Only thing we get now is an (arguable) lower likelihood of a B1G and CFP title (that might or might not be vacated later, regardless of today’s decision).
November 16th, 2023 at 6:26 PM ^
100% agree
November 16th, 2023 at 6:36 PM ^
The problem is, you don't know anything and neither do I. You seem to have more of an issue of what the media and everyone else thinks over what Michigan thinks of what is best for Michigan.
This sucks ass and from the outside it looks rotten, but let's peel back the orange before we taste the fruit.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:41 PM ^
I'm not happy either, but I'll take the 7 hours without Jim on the sideline over the overwhelming uncertainty. My hope is we eventually stick it to the conference, but for now they can back the F off.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:59 PM ^
Guess what, a TRO wouldn’t have done jack shit the allegations, what Pete Thamel said or what the mouth breathers believe. Not only would it have nothing to do on the merits of the allegations but it wouldn’t change the story one bit. At best It would be Big Ten overstepped their authority and wouldn’t say shit about culpability.
Barring Connor Stalions admitting he was a double agent hired by Day specifically to get Michigan in trouble nothing is going to change the narrative so just move the fuck on and let this story go away
November 16th, 2023 at 6:59 PM ^
100%. Some hills you die on.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:00 PM ^
I heard it was the Duke of Earl. I don't give a flying fuck right now. I'm so pissed at this university. So are we cheaters or pussies or what??? Well, nobody can know that because we cant fucking ever get any definitive answers on anything ever.......Fuck I am so pissed off about this
November 16th, 2023 at 6:08 PM ^
Cheaters AND pussies, apparently.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:25 PM ^
… the Cheaters and Lest
November 16th, 2023 at 6:00 PM ^
lol, coming to terms!!! that would entail a win/win result, and this is far from that. she didn't do jack shit then, why are we lauding her?
November 16th, 2023 at 6:03 PM ^
Sam Webb reacts to accepting the suspension:
November 16th, 2023 at 6:29 PM ^
Sam was kind of speculating but says the legal people may think they were going to take an L on Friday. They also didn't want the big ten digging around any more to see what else they could find.
November 16th, 2023 at 7:55 PM ^
Sam Webb attempts to spin the situation you mean, and no I didn’t watch it.
November 16th, 2023 at 6:02 PM ^
Did we actually get anything out of this? The Big Ten won't continue to go after Harbaugh until they change their mind?