Yahoo article on AD meeting
https://sports.yahoo.com/sources-big-ten-ads-urging-commissioner-tony-p…
summary:
“However, a decision from the league is uncertain, though options have been discussed. On their calls over the last week in fact, high-level school administrators and Petitti have pored over a wide range of possibilities. There was talk, for instance, of any penalty not impacting players directly. A suspension of coach Jim Harbaugh may be the most likely and “cleanest” penalty if one were handed down, one source said.”
“The policy was at the center of discussions last week between school leaders and Petitti. According to the policy, the commissioner can take disciplinary action that is considered “standard” or “major.””
“
Standard action includes a fine not exceeding $10,000 and a suspension of no more than two contests. Major action is anything exceeding those penalties and is subject to approval from the Big Ten executive board of presidents.”
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:42 PM ^
They suspended the players involved, we suspended the staffer involved. Seems pretty even. Big Ten didn't suspend Tucker or prevent them from potentially playing in a Bowl game (MSU did that themselves).
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:54 PM ^
... and both were suspended with pay.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:57 PM ^
Tucker went from suspended with pay to without pay once they botched the first press conference.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:44 PM ^
Sorry Alan, but it was actually Braiden McGregor whose health was at risk because Spencer Brown plays dirty and intentionally tried to injure another player.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:55 PM ^
If MSU hires Urban, we should go halvsies with OSU on hiring a PI to follow Urban around.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:01 PM ^
Haller doesnt seem to know that stealing signs is within the rules. Im not sure how a proxy recording your game can result in a player being injured on field. If youre worried about your signs being stolen, you may want to change em up.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:12 PM ^
I just can't get over this health and safety thing with the sign stealing. Sign stealing is legal. As someone else pointed out somewhere, blitzing is legal, scouting tendencies is legal.
Also, let's just pretend for a minute that the way sign stealing works is that all of the players on defense learn the other team's entire playbook and all their signs, so they always know exactly what the blocks are supposed to be and what the routes are supposed to be.
So the D-Line still wants to avoid the O-Line, right? Like, no increased injury there.
The defensive backs will run better with the WRs because they won't be fooled by the route running, so the WRs won't be open, so QB won't throw them the ball. Or if they did it would get picked or at least batted down. Or maybe they'd even make the catch and get tackled right away but the DB wouldn't have any extra momentum.
If it's a handoff to a running back, you still have an O-line blocking, right? So it's not like you just get a free shot at a RB, unless your O-Line sucks.
I get that knowing 100% of what the other team is about to do on the field would be an advantage that would help you stop a play (which is why teams scout), but how does it increase the risk of injury?
November 2nd, 2023 at 11:54 PM ^
Do you mean to imply that the Athletic Director of Michigan State University doesn’t know a damn thing about football?
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:14 PM ^
Well done lilpenny. This does deserve its own thread, not only informative but hilarious.
I would pay to see a Haller vs Warde cage fight.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:20 PM ^
Ask the MSU AD, “What do you think the score would have been if UM really had all of the Sparty Signals two weeks ago?”
49-0 would been 60? 70? 80? To ZERO. Not much difference.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:27 PM ^
What a fucking pussy! What the fuck is Haller talking about? His team sucks! He manufactured a scandal with his coach so he could fire him because he sucks. His team sucked before the Michigan game AND while they were getting their shit pushed in. In what world did his team have a solid “game plan” coming in? Did they choose not to use said game plan for their other opponents either?! Those “changes” prevented your team from completing passes or blocking men in white uniforms? Give me a fucking break. I have gotten to the point where I can tolerate OSU. Staee is the fucking worst and it annoys me as a Michigander that they have MICHIGAN in their name.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:40 PM ^
This doesn't change 95% of your point but I do think that Haller was not saying they were changing their game plan, but how they prepared during the last two days of the week before Saturday. You see, instead of going over learning the signs for the last two days, they instead had to spend 90 seconds explaining that the QB should run over to the sideline to get the play, which takes zero practice time at all.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:28 PM ^
Very funny that this guys’ players jumped ours after the last game and he’s worried about the safety of an in person scouting violation.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:55 PM ^
MSU should be ejected from the league for this quote. Fuck that whole fucking university, forever.
November 2nd, 2023 at 10:21 PM ^
Looking at that quote…. fucking L O L what a fork-tongued little weasel
November 2nd, 2023 at 11:56 PM ^
These fuckers can’t claim that they have known about our alleged sign stealing for years AND that they are still being harmed by it. Ever heard of a duty to mitigate, dipshits? If your credit card gets stolen, you don’t wait for it to get maxed out before canceling it. You limit the harm, especially if it is easily done.
Either these guys did change their signs, and are pissed because they still got crushed, or they didn’t change their signs because they didn’t really believe it was a huge advantage.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
Michigan really should start to seek a new conference because you can’t compete honestly with people who are trying to fuck up your season with some bullshit.
This is quickly spiraling into an issue that threatens the Big Ten as currently constituted. Michigan can’t permit conference partners to undermine their ability to compete with dirty pool like this.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:33 PM ^
Yeah I always thought the core of the Big Ten was extremely stable but if our peer schools are gonna start trying to derail seasons before investigations because theyre mad about twitter rumors then maybe Michigan shouldnt be so loyal to a number of athletic departments that would be looking to join the Pac2 if we up and left
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:49 PM ^
They're not mad about twitter rumors. They're not mad about the violation. They are just being opportunists to try to wreck a competitor. The TV contract isn't changing, they're not worried about the money. And Haller sure as fuck doesn't care about anything other than bringing down Michigan. So laughable that anyone would actually think his opinion on this is Very Important because he's usually reserved.
Every Sparty I heard/saw say that they should have not played Michigan because of health and safety, they all acknowledged it was because that way they could have avoided the 49-0 humiliation and also, in their (maybe correct) minds, embarrassed us by shining a light on our cheating. Nothing genuine about their position or concern at all. Same for the schools here.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:43 PM ^
Would joining a different conference put an end to the NCAA vendetta?
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:51 PM ^
No but that wouldn't be the point.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:07 PM ^
Better to deal with the devil in the front than the one in the back.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:28 PM ^
Typical media BS... if they suspend harbaugh we should give the SEC a call...
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:29 PM ^
Find it kind of odd that all of a sudden all the talking heads at ESPN start piling on Michigan at once after having a completely different opinion just one week ago. It’s like they had an inter-office memo telling them to do it for the sake of the company.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:29 PM ^
So what could they do if Michigan refused that ruling?
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:33 PM ^
Don't know but I'm going to guess making us forfeit games for one.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:34 PM ^
Maurice Clarret was right.
November 2nd, 2023 at 11:57 PM ^
Bit chilly down in hell these days…
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:39 PM ^
I said 2 years ago on this blog I would prefer that Michigan would leave the Big Ten. People negged me. This conference has always been against Michigan, always. Go join the Pac 10.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:49 PM ^
I got some bad news for you...
November 2nd, 2023 at 10:36 PM ^
Why not Michigan is arguably the biggest brand in CFB. Could you imagine if they called up WSU and OSU and said “we want to join you guys and we will rebuild the conference , rename it, and start a new”
that shit would be hilarious and awesome.
there are no rules anymore in CFB and media , so who fuckin cares anymore. Cause havoc
November 2nd, 2023 at 10:51 PM ^
The ACC is one good team away from getting the respect it wants
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:51 PM ^
At this point in time, exactly what FIRST HAND evidence has either the B1G or NCAA truly uncovered - answer: next to nothing! A 3rd party, not commissioned by either the conference or NCAA, presented THEIR findings including records from UM's cloud or server - exactly who authorized them to get this info (hacking, someone careless with a cloud/server security, etc.). Unless we have a whistleblower (or careless security), it's doubtful that inside records can be used.
The B1G commish needs to go tread very carefully or he will forever open a toxic environment where schools and/or big donors charter PI firms to dig up dirt on rivals. Trust will be destroyed across the board. It will be B1G Spy vs. Spy. What goes around will come around.
Just my opinion (and yes Dirty Harry reminds us "opinions are like assholes, everyone has one").
1. Someone associated with Ohio (probably rich alums) had off the record conversations about the supposed sign-stealing. Alums agree to pay for a Magnum PI style investigation (complete with Higgins and the dobermans, Zeus and Apollo), not funded directly by Ohio, but kept informed without anything in writing.
2. PI firm snoops around and stumbles onto Connor Stallions (CS) who probably modeled his style after Douglas Niedermeyer (I reference him because the actor Mark Metcalf studied at UM). The guy's linkedin, etc. made him an easy target. His arrogance and bravado makes setting multiple traps for him too easy. Niedermeyer (real-life CS) berates one of his low-level game taping hires about having a pledge pin on his shirt. Said hire hears about the trap and goes rogue against UM. This opens the door to our "dirty secrets"
3. One or more of the berated sign stealers is the source of any "evidence" of rules violations, but they may only have had access to CS's personal cloud/server. Either way, said Magnum PI firm notifies Gene Smith and Ryan Day (never by call or text or email) in some off the record scandal.
4. PI firm contacts some dickless man (see: EPA Peck character in Ghostbusters) at WaPo who "breaks" the story.
November 2nd, 2023 at 10:07 PM ^
Love the Niedermeyer reference. The Big Ten thinks they can do to us what Niedermeyer did to the pledges and assume the position. Admittedly, Warde is kind of like that suck-ass Chip that gets paddled during the initiation. But we need to show we are more like Blutarski (the future Senator Blutarski I might add).
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:53 PM ^
Thamel says today's meeting took a more serious tone! Haller worried about his players' safety!
Batten down the hatches, boys.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:40 PM ^
Thamel is hoping to get a Pulitzer from this. Guy is a clown and Haller is nuts. His players were suspended because they were caught video COMMITTING ASSAULT.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:55 PM ^
Pettti said he’s meeting with the presidents. So a 1-2 game suspension for Harbaugh and other staff is likely going to be exceeded as he needs to get a vote from them to exceed those guidelines.
My Guess is Harbaugh suspended for year. Sherrone and Minter get 2 games each.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:59 PM ^
That would be quite the precedent to set. To suspend a bunch of coaches with nothing being tied to them. Unless someones got evidence Harbaugh okayed this plan, they would be nuts to try to levy a punishment like that
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:33 PM ^
It would set a precedent that any opposing HC you don't like can be taken out of your way with a sufficiently coordinated PR campaign. Because until the NCAA investigation is completed, that's all this is.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:45 PM ^
Its pretty clearly not that. The NCAA and Big Ten have evidence, Watters came out and said it directly. We don't know exactly what they have but its naive to think they have nothing. People get suspended pending investigations all the time. Shutting down Michigan's season would be unprecedented, suspending Harbaugh wouldn't really be.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:58 PM ^
Who is Watters?
November 2nd, 2023 at 10:16 PM ^
Fine, but if that’s the case it behooves Michigan to find out how an outside party got access to its server. The NCAA and Big Ten may not have to have to meet criminal standards on how they obtained evidence but they sure as hell must disclose if an actual federal computer crime occurred in the conduct of their discovery process. It makes them complicit to an even bigger crime for which we should bring a massive suit against Big Ten. We should then seek to dissolve the conference and strip it of its ability to benefit from Michigan’s name, image, and likeness. The others will then be free to find their own way to pay for their likely deficit-making athletic departments.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:48 PM ^
This comment needs moar negs...
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:56 PM ^
Jimmyisgod has shown himself to be a Sparty fan for quite a while now. Should be put on ignore.
November 2nd, 2023 at 10:48 PM ^
Your guesses are quite the leap for an internet sleuth. You're a regular Dick Fucking Tracy.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:55 PM ^
high-level school administrators and Petitti have pored over a wide range of possibilities.
I read this as high school, which sounds just about right for the drama levels of the other B1G schools.
November 2nd, 2023 at 8:59 PM ^
I’m not buying this report. I smell BS.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:00 PM ^
I'm starting to think it may be time to take a deep breath and calm the fuck down. There is no need to overreact to every rumor that pops up.
Let's enjoy watching our amazing team play some damn fine football.
November 2nd, 2023 at 9:07 PM ^
We should accept whatever punishment the baylor coach accepted for in person scouting, which i believe was a 1 game suspension. Weve already suspended CS, so it should be over. Sign stealing is not the issue. It’s in person scouting. UM has to change the narrative.