The NCAA has opened an investigation into No. 2 Michigan over possible rule-breaking around in-person scouting of opponents

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It seems to me the following is all true with regard to meting out punishment:
  • The rule that’s been broken (advanced in-person scouting) is in place for all sports, and the B1G needs to consider how they might handle a softball team (for example) doing the same thing in the future
  • Violations occurred this season, meaning that any benefits have been realized by the 2023 team and, given the option of acting now or waiting, it is sensible to act now unless it’s clear more information can be collected (I don’t believe anyone here could definitively declare one way or the other)
  • The ongoing NCAA investigation puts the B1G in a position where a larger governing body could declare Michigan ineligible or vacate wins at a later date. Given there are other teams that could still conceivably represent the conference in the CFP, acting now both creates a punishment for the NCAA to consider and marginally increases the odds of the other two schools to make the CFP.
  • Players are never a factor in these decisions. Whether or not that’s fair has never been a consideration in how conferences and the NCAA punish member institutions for violations.
There’s been a lot of humor and absurdity up until now, which will become legal theater. But I think the B1G is right to take this very seriously and to act now rather than wait.
 

The closest analogy to this situation is the Houston Astros sign-stealing. Their manager got banned from the MLB for a year, $5 million fine, lost 2 1st round picks.

Yet most people felt the MLB went too easy on them. (should have been stripped of their world series title) and players from that team are still booed all around the country.

Michigan deserves a similar or worse penalty.
 
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Word said:
The closest analogy to this situation is the Houston Astros sign-stealing. Their manager got banned from banned for a year, $5 million fine, lost 2 1st round picks.

Yet most people felt the MLB went too easy on the. (should have been stripped of their world series title) and players from that team are still booed all around the country.

Michigan deserves a similar or worse penalty.
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I also hate it when people make the argument that it didn't make that much of a difference in the game or they would have won anyways. By cheating, the cheaters cheared everyone out of knowing exactly what wouldn't have happened had they not cheated, so that argument doesn't carry any water for me.
 

Gopher_In_NYC said:
Everyone makes mistakes, maybe take a look in the mirror, perhaps?

FYI - I had mail delivery today. So it’s not like all federal services were suspended- get it? Armistic/Veteran’s Day is on Saturday, 11/11.

Judging others over minor faux pas can be a way to make one feel better about themselves from my experience.

So when you’re perfect, lemme know champ🥴
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Now you’re embarrassing yourself.
 


I don’t think I could dislike Michigan more than I do right now. They’ve always been entitled but this is next level.

 


New prediction: at some point in this game, Michigan fans will react to a penalty call or some other officiating that doesnt go their way by accusing the refs of being part of a conference conspiracy against them.
 




MplsGopher said:
You got me! You guys won.

Michigan received the death penalty, just like you guys were clamoring for.


Indeed, rather than properly waiting for the NCAA investigation to be concluded, the Big Ten took matters into its own hands, by grabbing a giant club and bashing Michigan with

huge monetary fi....
loss of schola....
loss of recruiting vis....
loss of reven....
ban from the conf championship ga....
ban from the CF....
ban from bow....
yearlong suspen....
three full weeks of no contact with the team suspen...

[puts on extra thick reading glasses, in order to read the fine print of the notes]

three weeks of the head coach not being able to ... be at the gameday venue on gamedays ... but otherwise literally zero restrictions.


.....

:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
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Are you ok?
 







Just think, Harbaugh could have been running these scams with the Vikings right now.
 


You don’t need to sign-steal in the NFL. They have green dot helmets. So no, would not have happened with the Vikings.

Not to mention very good chance he had no idea it was even happening.

 


highwayman said:
Now you’re embarrassing yourself.
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Now you’re ignored because you’re a _____( you know the rest).

I admitted in my original post thst I didn’t know why. And later thst I made a mistake, neither good enough for you (works for my friends & the only one who judgement matters to me).

Have a great and blessed day unless you’ve made other plans sparky.
 
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MplsGopher said:
You don’t need to sign-steal in the NFL. They have green dot helmets. So no, would not have happened with the Vikings.

Not to mention very good chance he had no idea it was even happening.

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Well, there was the in-person scouting issue too. There's always a way to do that, unless your practice facility has the security of Fort Knox. Cheaters find ways the cheat. Also, not buying that he didn't know about this cheating. I'm sure he's a nice guy in many ways, but he either cheats or is clueless (not to mention negligent) about important things he's responsible for.
 
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MplsGopher said:
You don’t need to sign-steal in the NFL. They have green dot helmets. So no, would not have happened with the Vikings.

Not to mention very good chance he had no idea it was even happening.

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"I've known OJ most of my life and he never wears gloves." - Al Cowlings
 

MplsGopher said:
You don’t need to sign-steal in the NFL. They have green dot helmets. So no, would not have happened with the Vikings.

Not to mention very good chance he had no idea it was even happening.

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Willful blindness is no excuse.
 

so, what evidence was available to the B1G Commissioner -- from ESPN:

According to Petitti's letter, the NCAA provided the Big Ten with a "master spreadsheet" with great detail in how Stalions' scheme worked. It included:

  • A large and detailed chart that included the names of various people assigned to attend past and future football games involving Michigan's opponents.
  • Assignments for individuals to attend past and future games involving highly ranked, non-Big Ten football programs.
  • Notes about whether attendance would be necessary at games based on various win/loss scenarios.
  • The 2023 schedules of Michigan's football opponents.
  • Color coding to reflect past games attended by individuals and future games in which scouting would be needed.
  • The names of people assigned to cities and certain areas of the country.
  • Monetary costs for scouting some games.
Additionally, Petitti said there was a separate worksheet within the master spreadsheet that showed "narrative translations of signs and signals that corresponded to specific team formations and plays."

Between Oct. 20 and Nov. 4, according to Petitti, the conference received additional documentation from other Big Ten members that showed Stalions purchasing tickets to games involving Michigan's opponents. According to the league, it has evidence that he purchased tickets to at least four games in 2021, 13 in 2022 and five during the first seven weeks of this season. "The tickets were strategically located near midfield, facing the future opponents' sidelines," the letter said.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey informed the Big Ten that Stalions had purchased tickets to the SEC championship game in Atlanta.

The Big Ten also reviewed photos and videos that it says shows the staff member standing on the sideline adjacent to other Michigan coaches.

On Oct. 2, 2021, during a game against Wisconsin, Stalions was "standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the University's then-defensive coordinator." In a game at Ohio State on Nov. 26, 2022, Stalions watched the opponent sideline and then gestured to the Michigan defense "in reaction to the signals being provided to the opposing offense." In a CFP semifinal at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl last season (in which the Wolverines lost to TCU 51-45), Stalions was standing next to Michigan's defensive coordinator and "talking to him while intently watching what was happening on the field and/or the TCU sideline." Among evidence the Big Ten collected from the NCAA were other corroborating documents, photos, videos and "significant interview recordings," all of which, according to the Big Ten, "confirm the existence of the impermissible scheme."
 


I don’t think I should have to go to federal prison for a year for jay walking.

Was anyone saying literally zero punishment?

Sure, fine them. They’ll pay it. Money should go to a children’s hospital, but NCAA will just pocket it.


Also, we’re all welcome that this caused green dot helmets in college to get accelerated. There was absolutely no excuse for them not to be used years ago.
 

No one even knew that was against the rules to scout future opponents in-person. :ROFLMAO:

It’s such an obvious thing that everyone would do, if the costs were insignificant relative to the budget.


Guessing all NFL teams do this every season. No one cares.
 

Isn't punishing the accused without due process the standard in academia? Michigan themselves punished a student for much worse than what Harbaugh did while ignoring huge pieces of evidence and would have ruined his life if he didn't sue them and get them to drop their findings.
 

Ope3 said:
Willful blindness is no excuse.
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Also, I always found it odd that Harbaugh was so eager to take the Vikings job. He had a good thing going at his beloved alma mater. Could it be he knew what was going on and wanted to get out before they got caught, a la Pete Carroll bolting to the Seahawks from USC?
 

Complete video highlights of Jim Harbaugh at the game today:

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