By Rock Westfall
On Monday, we learned that seven staffers from the 2023 Michigan Wolverines were accused of violating NCAA rules based on a notice of allegations. New head coach Sherrone Moore is among those named and faces the potential of a show-cause penalty. Former head coach Jim Harbaugh, who found safe harbor with the Los Angeles Chargers, continues to deny everything defiantly.
Moore is accused of deleting a thread of 52 text messages with alleged Michigan master spy Connor Stalions, who left in the middle of last season. That thread was deleted the day it was reported what Stalions was up to. Moore is considered a potential “repeat violator” of NCAA rules.
Yes, the NCAA is feckless and feared by nobody. Yes, the NCAA wants to avoid lawsuits at all costs. Yes, Michigan is looking guilty as sin. But, ultimately, none of that matters as much as Michigan being outed for its nauseating hypocrisy, entitlement, and privilege.
“Never lie. Never cheat. Never steal.”
– Jim Harbaugh pic.twitter.com/IfqUIFKPVO
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) August 5, 2024
A Cultural Mirage
If you were stranded on an island and had your choice of books to read, noted Michigan historian, journalism teacher, and alum John U. Bacon’s four books on the Michigan football program would be all you need. Bacon’s books give an inside account of college football at one of its marquee programs. Specifically, you will learn everything you need to know about Michigan’s culture.
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Bacon does not shy away from Michigan’s reputation for arrogance. He details how Michigan has always prided itself on being above its competitors. Michigan has always claimed to do things the right way and with class. However, that has now been proven to be the biggest fraud ever perpetrated upon college football nation.
On November 3, 2023, I chronicled here the numerous transgressions of the Michigan football program. “The Insufferable Myth of the Michigan Man” outlined why Michigan is a legend in its own mind, a marketing creation, and how image always beats substance. On November 7, 2023, I followed up with more on Michigan, including its strange fan base and culture, of my multiple visits to Ann Arbor, which included attending games at the Big House, and how it all did not square with the truth.
Ultimately, the situation can be summarized rather quickly and easily. If Michigan did nothing wrong last year, why did Moore quickly delete all of those texts with Stalions when the story broke? Isn’t a Michigan Man to be above a political-style coverup?
Jim Harbaugh left Michigan like pic.twitter.com/PPwIVmEFbD
— McNeil (@Reflog_18) August 6, 2024
After years of futility, Michigan fans surrendered their faux high ground last year with delight and glee. On Monday, social media posts revealed a fan base that thinks the Connor Stalions affair is a big joke and a nothing burger. It is as if Michigan fans are taking pride and delight in breaking rules, winning a national championship, and then getting away with it. The culture that used to claim to be above it all is now on a lower level than that of an SEC powerhouse of your choice. After all, to the SEC’s credit, they never deny cheating.
Michigan is laughing in America’s faces. As The Godfather himself, Mike Farrell, posted, Michigan is too big to fail. Indeed, Michigan is filthy rich, lawyered up, and draws massive TV ratings. Against that is an NCAA that has devolved into a “governing body” for task forces, focus groups, bloviating speeches of hot air and no substance, and zero enforcement capability.
I honestly don’t think the NCAA and the powers that be in CFB have the balls or lack of financial sense to vacate the Michigan title. No way. Too big a brand.
— Mike Farrell (@mfarrellsports) August 4, 2024
But that does not give Michigan a pass. Had Michigan not had its nose held high in the air for decades, there would be less to be resentful about. Ohio State fans rightly scream that Jim Tressel was ruined over some tiny gold pants trinkets and tattoos. They are correct in that assessment. In comparison to Michigan, what happened under Tressel was of the grade school level.
Over the past decade, the Michigan football program has tried to downplay violence against women, bar room brawling, and COVID violations by Harbaugh while claiming to be the “Leaders and the Best” in epidemiology. In fact, Michigan leadership tried to cancel football in 2020 over COVID but blew off Harbaugh’s blatant violation of COVID protocols, ignoring its own “standards.” Additionally, there was the discovery of a decades-long coverup about a monstrous physician who was a sexual predator and much more.
Through it all Michigan sneered at the rest of us, claiming its superiority. Yet it was so insecure that it looked the other way at a sophisticated spying operation that would make the CIA envious. Breaking signals has been a part of football since the game was created, but not at the Connor Stalions level. More importantly, Michigan was supposed to be above such antics.
Michigan’s ultimate crime is its entitlement, conceit, privilege, arrogance, and lack of accountability.
Michigan does whatever it wants because it can. That attitude and culture are obnoxious rather than admirable, especially for a school that claims to be “The Leaders and the Best.” But as always, absolute power corrupts absolutely. Michigan sold its principles and soul to Jim Harbaugh for a national championship. They are just like the rest of us, and it’s high time for them to admit it.
Michigan’s hypocrisy reminds us that, as the old saying goes, “He who smelt it, dealt it.”
The NCAA has a chance to reclaim its self-respect and some power. It can do so with one act: Kill Michigan Football, SMU style, and strip them of their championship, Louisville basketball style. It would be a fully justified action and the NCAA has nothing to lose.
Death to Michigan Football and its rot gut culture.
