Michigan sign stealing scandal

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There was no bluff called. The decision was made to not detract from the team with protracted legal bullshit. The fact of the matter is we don't know what Michigan got in return.

You’re an imbecile.

[Matt]

There was no bluff called. The decision was made to not detract from the team with protracted legal bullshit. The fact of the matter is we don't know what Michigan got in return.

You’re an imbecile.

Nope. Let's see how everything plays out.

[Rate This]

There was no bluff called. The decision was made to not detract from the team with protracted legal bullshit. The fact of the matter is we don't know what Michigan got in return.

You’re an imbecile.

Nope. Let's see how everything plays out.

They pulled out because they knew they would lose. You don’t get that far and then surrender like that unless you know you’ll be embarrassed. The detract from the team line is boilerplate spin. It’s a fig leaf.

[MWmetalhead]

The Big Ten was likely going to unleash on the Michigan football program in court. The university likely caved to avoid embarrassment and possible future penalties from the conference (and to avoid risk of giving the NCAA additional fodder).

I predicted from the get-go that the university was unlikely to prevail at an injunction hearing (see my 9:00p post of November 10). The bylaws give the conference pretty wide ranging discretion as to sportsmanship policy matters.

When Harbaugh said publicly he would like to testify in court, it wouldn't surprise me if U-M's lawyers got nervous.

[craig11152]

There was a compromise. Harbaugh takes his 3 games and the BIG TEN CLOSES ITS INVESTIGATION...if ESPN, WUOM among others are to be believed.

[MWmetalhead]

The only reason U-M would accept such a deal is if it were nervous as to what the conference might uncover.

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The only reason U-M would accept such a deal is if it were nervous as to what the conference might uncover.

And I would argue that with the NCAA investigation still going on they really aren’t out of the woods and have reason to remain nervous.

[Honeyman]

There was a compromise. Harbaugh takes his 3 games and the BIG TEN CLOSES ITS INVESTIGATION...if ESPN, WUOM among others are to be believed.

All the Big Ten agreed to was to let the NCAA investigation play out as usual, and reserve the right for more punishment if more info comes along.

[MWmetalhead]

It is possible the university was concerned testimony in court might've given the NCAA additional ammunition.

[Matt]

It is possible the university was concerned testimony in court might've given the NCAA additional ammunition.

I don't believe that to be the case, but we will see.

[craig11152]

There was a compromise. Harbaugh takes his 3 games and the BIG TEN CLOSES ITS INVESTIGATION...if ESPN, WUOM among others are to be believed.

All the Big Ten agreed to was to let the NCAA investigation play out as usual, and reserve the right for more punishment if more info comes along.

That is contrary to reports I read and heard from WUOM and ESPN.

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It is possible the university was concerned testimony in court might've given the NCAA additional ammunition.

I don't believe that to be the case, but we will see.

They shot someone on fifth Avenue and threw them in a woodchipper… and you don’t see anything… this reeks of an admission by surrender of some sort of guilt. My god man…. Get some air.

[MWmetalhead]

Per the AP (michiganradio.org simply republished the AP story):

University leaders made the somewhat surprising decision to settle the case because the Big Ten would not agree to reduce the suspension to two games, the school didn’t want to drag the fight into court and negotiated for the conference to close its investigation, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke Thursday with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to share the school’s rationale.

I added the boldface formatting above; that remark suggests to me counsel for the university thought the hearing scheduled for Friday would not go well. Perhaps there was a pre-hearing conference with the judge?

Per Angelique of The Detroit News:

The agreement made Thursday with the Big Ten ensures the conference would only consider imposing any additional penalties if the NCAA determines at the conclusion of its investigation that a member of the Michigan football coaching staff was aware of Stalions' activities and tried to conceal them or was directly involved in helping him.

If Angelique's reporting is accurate, Honeyman is absolutely correct that the conference does reserve the right to issue additional punishment under certain circumstances.

[craig11152]

if the NCAA determines at the conclusion of its investigation that a member of the Michigan football coaching staff was aware of Stalions' activities and tried to conceal them or was directly involved in helping him

.

Clearly somebody was aware. He wasn't sending in signals to the defense all on his own. But using his information is a little different than concealing it. And helping him gather information is a little different than using the information.
The Associated Press says he never sent any invoices to the University to be repaid.

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if the NCAA determines at the conclusion of its investigation that a member of the Michigan football coaching staff was aware of Stalions' activities and tried to conceal them or was directly involved in helping him

.

Clearly somebody was aware. He wasn't sending in signals to the defense all on his own. But using his information is a little different than concealing it. And helping him gather information is a little different than using the information.
The Associated Press says he never sent any invoices to the University to be repaid.

He easily could have been ordered not to send any.