By Kyle Golik
What does it mean to be a “Michigan Man?”
Fielding Yost said during his retirement banquet, “My heart is so full at this moment, I fear I could say little else. But do let me reiterate the Spirit of Michigan. It is based on a deathless loyalty to Michigan and all her ways. An enthusiasm that makes it second nature for Michigan Men to spread the gospel of their university to the world’s distant outposts. And a conviction that nowhere is there a better university, in any way, than this Michigan of ours.”
Outside of Yost’s explanation, this is a question that is always asked and answered in various ways. It is an individual who consistently demonstrates the highest integrity, loyalty, and excellence in any pursuit or endeavor.
Famed Wolverine historian John U. Bacon quoted United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s description of pornography that easily defines what a “Michigan Man” is: “I know it when I see it.”
As the layers of the controversy begin to unravel that involve Connor Stalions and the Michigan football program, one is left to ask how damaged and in disrepair the “Michigan Man” persona is.
The new story comes from Central Michigan, where Athletic director Amy Folan, in a statement to ESPN, said the university was informed of photos resembling Stalions dressed in Central Michigan team-issued gear, with a sideline visitors football credential, and standing alongside several of the team’s coaches.
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The depths of Stalions’ espionage scheme are not yet known publicly, but details that leak, such as the one with Central Michigan and a former Division III coach coming forward saying he was to attend games and document the sidelines, notably Penn State games, and was compensated with hundreds of dollars and Michigan home game tickets are beginning to leave a sour taste in the mouth of not only Michigan fans but the nation.
The actions of Stalions, even though his actions could be construed as “deathless loyalty to Michigan and her ways, invalidates his claim to be a “Michigan Man.”
A speech every fan of the Maize and Blue knows is Hall of Fame coach Bo Schembechler’s “The Team” speech:
“No man is more important than The Team. No coach is more important than The Team. The Team, The Team, The Team, and if we think that way, all of us, everything that you do, you take into consideration what effect does it have on my Team?”
—Bo Schembechler
Stalions, for all his zeal and passion for Michigan, has failed the famed principle of Bo Schembchler that no man is more important than the team, and everything that you do has an effect on the team.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh, a man who was mentored and coached by Schembechler, guided Michigan to bowl triumphs and Big Ten championships as a player and coach, certainly does not embody the definition of the Michigan Man.
Harbaugh’s failed oversight is giving him the benefit of the doubt that he did not have knowledge of the espionage operation led by Stalions and, by all accounts, used the information gathered to beat teams and rivals, degrades him as a “Michigan Man.”
There was no integrity about it. As long as Harbaugh and his staff were fed information about the signals from the other side, he was content to go along with that.
Many times in history, coaches find a game plan of the opposition. Those of a higher character have simply told the assistant to throw it away. It is all about the ethics and integrity of the game. It was notably Mike Leach who left a fake playbook against Texas. The Longhorns took the bait and quickly fell behind three scores before realizing they had been duped, proving integrity always matters.
Harbaugh is aware of every individual’s responsibility to the team. His not knowing the depths of Stalions is inexcusable, and using the information makes it worse.
Losing to Ohio State every year is an unforgivable sin. Listening to Urban Meyer say he had a man dedicated on his staff to follow everything related to Michigan sent a paranoia-fueled Harbaugh to find a man like Stalions. Harbaugh and Michigan won a lot of games and championships with the information Stalions gathered.
What Harbaugh exchanged for this tainted glory was his integrity as a coach, and lost the meaning of being a “Michigan Man.” That integrity part, maintaining a high character and demonstrating high moral values is “The Michigan Difference.”
Harbaugh’s biggest sin throughout this ordeal is he lost his way of being a “Michigan Man.”
