Around the Big Ten

[iam416]

That wouldn't surprise me. He obviously hates Michigan State, so I could easily see him undertaking efforts to fuck them.

I really wouldn't put anything past him.

[Mike]

And that puts CMU in a bit of a pickle. Doh! Still haven't heard an update on their investigation to identify the guy who looks a hell of a lot like Connor Stalions.

[Jeff Buchanan]

It seems like it's gonna be Thursday or Friday. And judging by M's desperate parasol efforts this week and desperate mouthpiecing of "we'll fight this!" -- it's not going to be good. If ti was something M could accept things would have been quiet.

Right now there is almost nothing that wouldn't surprise me.

Those posting here that are calling for Harbaugh's head and/or predicting harsh penalties seem to me to be talking past the points M's defenders present. I'm re-posting one of the main points of Dan Wetzel's (Yahoo Sports) article Either Everyone is Guilty or No One Is.

Whatever it is, just make it even, because the actions of Connor Stalions and the actions that Ohio State, Rutgers and Purdue allegedly engaged in are the exact same thing.

Yes, the exact same thing.

Stalions sent friends out to film the sideline signals of future Wolverine opponents. He then got the video and allegedly worked to decipher the play calls. It appears one time he even stood on a Central Michigan sideline comically wearing what looks like spy glasses to scout Michigan State.

While stealing signs isn’t against NCAA rules, advanced scouting is. Stalions was clearly engaging in that.

Last Friday, however, Michigan presented the Big Ten with evidence that someone on the Rutgers football staff provided Michigan’s defensive signals to Purdue in advance of the Boilermaker-Wolverine 2022 Big Ten title game. Meanwhile, someone at Ohio State handed over U of M’s offensive signals.

So in the Big Ten Championship Game, both teams had the other’s signals, both of which were gathered via advanced scouting. (Michigan won, 43-22.)

In Michigan’s case, the “advanced scouts” were Stalions’ band of iPhone-toting buddies.

In Purdue’s case, the “advanced scouts” were the professional coaching staffs of two other Big Ten teams that had just played the Wolverines, and thus could battle-test the signs they stole as accurate.

In Michigan’s case, the “advanced scouts” were Stalions’ band of iPhone-toting buddies.

In Purdue’s case, the “advanced scouts” were the professional coaching staffs of two other Big Ten teams that had just played the Wolverines, and thus could battle-test the signs they stole as accurate.

Which would you rather have? Raw cell phone footage that still needs to be broken down, or highly experienced coaches just handing over their work? .........

......... and this goes right to meat of gaining a competitive advantage - there wasn't one

1. No competitive advantage was gained.

2. M must make it's case requesting a TRO before a judge. There are three elements that must be successfully argued to get the TRO. All three can be sufficiently argued. This also from a lawyer posting at mgoboard.

3. From a post at mgoboard, the poster, a lawyer, revealed how M will argue the vagueness of the Big Ten rules wrt obtaining an opponent's signals.

It seems to me that Harbaugh is going to be on the sidelines at HV one way or the other.

Yet here we are. talent, Wiz and DSL continue to post that Harbaugh and M are going to get hammered or, maybe not (in talent's case).

[Mike]

Seems like competitive advantage could be strongly argued when you consider both Purdue and Michigan had each other's signs and Michigan beat them by 3 TDs. OSU clearly had Michigan's sings since they shared the info with Purdue just days after Michigan beat them by... checks notes... 3 TDs.

[Tom W]

This is exactly why I think it's plausible that Harbaugh and coordinators didn't honestly know the full extent of what Stalions was up to. They could very easily assume he was just studying the TV/film like everyone else and he was good at it. I find it INCREDIBLY hard to believe that the coaches would jeopardize their careers and this season for something that provides such a marginal benefit.

And this is the damn shame of it all...

Being that it was such a laughably amateur operation, it would be shameful of Harbaugh or his coordinators had anything to do with the details. Of course, it's also kind of a joke that these "spies" were able to pull this off, in broad daylight, and nobody ever caught on to this. "Gee, a guy in a Michigan shirt has his phone pointed at the sidelines" might have attracted the attention somewhere.

[THE_WIZARD_]

...but Purdue!!!!!

[Jeff Buchanan]

This just popped up at mgoboard:

........... ESPN is reporting that UM has retained Williams & Connolly for the litigation against the B1G. As any of the Mgolawyers will tell you, you can infer the following from that:

(1) W&C is a big and expensive gun, UM is not kidding around about a nasty legal fight

(2) UM's own investigation probably concluded they have credible legal arguments: W&C doesn't take on dead-loser cases and nor would you use them if you were going to be throwing hail marys

(3) this is likely (but not certain) to be fought in federal court.

[iam416]

I continue to find it interesting that M has implemented it's parasol-anvil strategy, continues to leak "we'll fight!" and has hired W&C if they don't think the hammer is absolutely coming.

But, hey -- M is playing 4-D chess here. The B10 has hired Lionel Hutz. I

[Mike]

We really just need to delay for 17 more days to clear the OSU game. After that, I could coach the team in the Big 10 CG. Not sure if the conference has jurisdiction over coaching in the playoffs but we'll cross that bridge if and when we get there.

[Jeff Buchanan]

What I like about where we are today is that it appears that the Big's lawyers and M's lawyers will both have to argue, respectively, for and against the imposition of penalties to an impartial judge in a court of law. This is going to by-pass all the silliness (both sides) that isn't going to fly in a court of law. We'll hear oral arguments of just the evidence and established facts (both sides) that support them. We'll get none of the crap, none of the sass, none of the stupid speculation that gets posted on the internet/sports forums.

[THE_WIZARD_]

STAY OF EXECUTION!!!!!!! LET HARBAUGH!!!!!!! HAVE HIS LAST MEAL FOR PETE SAKE!!!!!!!

[iam416]

You know, Mike, you're total twatwaffle dickbrain, but I'd actually feel bad for you if this thing gets way sideways for you. For the vast majority of M fans, it'd be delightful, but for a few I'd feel bad.

I don't think it'll get that far, though.

Anyway, short of appointing Rich Kotite to lead M against OSU, that game is a foregone conclusion and the only question will be by how much -- A LOT? or REALLY A LOT?

[Mike]

We're simply asking for a modicum of fairness.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Mike, I think M is going to get a lot more than 17d ....... but, I'll go with talent's assessment: "nothing would surprise me at this point."

[THE_WIZARD_]

I think Mike has been very realistic and fair regarding this.