by Kyle Golik
Almost a half-century ago, NFL Films coined the term “America’s Team” in the famous John Facenda narration for the Dallas Cowboys 1978 highlight film, “They appear on television so often that their faces are as familiar to the public as presidents and movie stars. They are the Dallas Cowboys, “America’s Team.”
Fast forward, Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh spun the intent of the phrase “America’s Team” to reflect the current espionage scandal that has embroiled his Wolverines team.
“The perseverance, you know, and just the stalwartness of these guys. I mean, it’s gotta be America’s Team. It’s gotta be America’s Team,” Harbaugh said after being suspended on Friday by the Big Ten his Wolverines for their performance in defeating No. 10 Penn State on the road.
“America loves a team that beats the odds, beats the adversity, you know, overcomes what the naysayers and critics, so-called experts think. That’s my favorite kind of team.”
ESPN college football personality and host of The Paul Finebaum Show Paul Finebaum appeared on SportsCenter following Harbaugh’s comments.
“I found it sad and pathetic,” Finebaum said. “Why? Because this isn’t America’s team. This isn’t what America’s about. Here we are, just days removed from Veteran’s Day, where we honor people who are really representative of America. This team is not representative of anything other than a program accused of cheating. Cheating!”
More Sports News
“Trying to steal signs to gain an unfair advantage. That’s not the way this country was built, and that’s not what should be described as America’s team.”
Harbaugh is now faced with his second three-game suspension of the season. He indicated he will attend his Friday temporary restraining order hearing, “I’m going to talk on Friday,” Harbaugh said. “I’m just looking forward to that opportunity — due process. I’m not looking for special treatment, not looking for a popularity contest, just looking for the merit of what the case is.”
Harbaugh further commented, “I’ve always felt like it’d be cool to get up there and thunder away at a jury like Tom Cruise in ‘A Few Good Men’ or be a judge. Alas, I did not go to law school, this will be the first time I’ve ever really been in this situation.”
I want to first comment on my personal beliefs that I will always hold the gold standard of “The Michigan Man” in the highest regard.
A Michigan Man has always been defined as fiercely loyal, has vast knowledge, takes the high road, defers to others in a gentlemanly fashion and, never compromises their principles, is composed of and possesses integrity, decency, intelligence, and a zeal for life.
It is the last line I have heard that I always lived by: is what non-Michigan Men strive to be.
Nothing in this “Michigan versus The World,” the hashtag bet, and anything involved with Connor Stalions is Michigan Man worthy let alone worthy of defining what America is all about.
I don’t envy or strive to ever compromise my integrity and values to win at anything. The true “Michigan Men” don’t compromise who they are to win a football game, nor does any person who possesses integrity and the desire to do the right thing.
Ultimately, I understand why Harbaugh and Michigan are fiercely defending a loyal Michigan Man. But at the end of the day, if Harbaugh’s defense is that he wasn’t aware of the tactics Stalions took, to me, that is even worse. At some point, no one is that good at cracking the code to bat nearly 100%. That should have driven Harbaugh’s suspicions, not reward Stalions to be on staff.
How many times have we had an NCAA violation happen like this, and the NCAA punishes it three years down the line and harms student-athletes who weren’t at that school and the ones paying for transgressions of the past? Too often.
This is one of the first times a conference like the Big Ten looked at a situation that wasn’t right and said no, we aren’t kicking this can. You are serving your penalty now. I felt Tony Petitti was fair in the punishment. If Michigan were to win the Big Ten East, Harbaugh could coach in the Big Ten Championship Game. That would be amazing theater, something we haven’t seen since Roger Goodell handing Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick Vince Lombardi trophies, more notably for the older fans Pete Rozelle and Al Davis.
Circling back to the task at hand, for Harbaugh to even try to think cheaters deserve sympathy and we are going to rally around a team that couldn’t do it ethically is mind-blowing.
The crazy thing, and what Michigan showed Saturday at Beaver Stadium, is they didn’t need to cheat to win. They are extremely talented and could go the distance this year. Regardless of what happens, Harbaugh has cheapened it.
America already has enough deceitful and fraudulent people. I may come across pontificating or being holier than thou, but it was “The Michigan Man” that was a large part of what made America what it is. What made the 1970’s Dallas Cowboys “America’s Team” was the way they conducted themselves. Everyone strove to be “Captain America” Roger Staubach; no one strives to cheat themselves. It isn’t the way of “The Michigan Man” is billed, and something Harbaugh should quit peddling.
