The Michigan Scandal
When opposition research meets college football
Sports fans have a funny relationship with cheating.
They’ve got a high tolerance for the “competitive edge.” There’s a common understanding that teams will do what they can to win, and people are broadly okay with that.
However! Fans also have a line, and looking back on the teams that have crossed it over the years — the Patriots and the Astros come to mind — that reputation tends to follow you.
There’s an aspect of this that comes down to what we know about and what we don’t. Everybody’s more cool with the gray-area stuff they don’t have to really consider or defend.
But as we turn our attention to this unfolding scandal at Michigan, we ought to first acknowledge something about college football: everyone is cheating. All the time.
That’s particularly true of recruiting, and always has been, long before the NIL landscape we have now. We’ve seen plenty of “pay-for-play” scandals in that realm.
A sign-stealing scandal, though? Now we’re talking. Big Blue is ranked #2 in the country, they’re 9-0, and they’ve got a big mess on their hands.
Kinda reminds you of another undefeated season shrouded in controversy. As the kids would say, it’s ~giving~ #Spygate.
Spies Like Us
When I first read about this, my initial reaction was: who cares? Doesn’t every team do this every week?
Now that I’ve wrapped my head around it, I’m still tempted to respond: who cares? Doesn’t every team do this every week?
But there is some objectionable stuff here, mainly because every team — so far as I’m aware — probably isn’t doing whatever this was every week.
The spy in question, now-former UM staffer Connor Stalions, immediately loses points with me for spelling his own last name wrong. So let’s enter that into the record first.
Second, the dude was attending games — on Michigan’s dime, presumably — so he could record future opponents’ on-field signals.
The NCAA makes a distinction between decoding signals against a team you’re playing that day versus advanced scouting off the field, which seems fair. There’s a difference. We’re playing football, not running intelligence operations.
That’s not to say other programs aren’t constantly doing both — I’m sure they are, to varying degrees — but that’s all more of a borderline thing.
Where you start to lose me is with the Master of Disguise act. It sure looks like Stalions might’ve been spying on opposing teams from their own sidelines, as pictured here in a game against Central Michigan:
Or, in a next-level move, how about spying on your biggest rival from another team’s sideline? Operational efficiency!
Stalions has already resigned, so that’s one down. But what Michigan’s Big Ten rivals would like to see is punishment for the man in charge, John Harbaugh.
The conference is considering a possible suspension for Harbaugh on the basis of the Big Ten’s Sportsmanship Policy. So we’re all clear, the header reads as follows:
“10.01 General Purpose and Scope. The Big Ten Conference expects all contests involving a member institution to be conducted without compromise to any fundamental element of sportsmanship. Such fundamental elements include integrity of the competition, civility toward all, and respect, particularly toward opponents and officials. Accordingly, each member institution, through the actions of the individuals or groups of individuals listed in Agreement 10.1.1 below, has an obligation to behave in a way that does not offend the elements of sportsmanship described above. Actions that are offensive to the integrity of the competition, actions that offend civility, and actions of disrespect are subject to review and are punishable in accordance with the terms of this policy.”
Not much in the way of specifics there. Integrity, civility, and respect are all admirable, but they’re not exactly concrete. This is broad, probably purposely.
What Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti could do to punish Harbaugh is more specific.
10.3.3.1 Standard Disciplinary Action. Standard disciplinary actions shall include admonishment, reprimand, fines that do not exceed $10,000, and suspensions from no more than two contests.
That’s where the reports of a two-game suspension are coming from.
(Friday Update): Turns out, Petitti went and got approval from “an executive board” (don’t ask me) to go up to three games, meaning the remainder of the regular season, so that’s what Harbaugh is getting here.
As expected, Michigan is responding with an injunction to put this all on hold, so this’ll take a while to resolve itself, especially the separate NCAA investigation that will run on its own timeline.
You Too, Huh?
To be fair to all parties, this whole situation put Petitti in a tough position, especially for someone so new on the job.
But I’m sympathetic to Michigan’s case here, too. The Everyone’s Doing It defense doesn’t usually do much for me, but it carries a little more weight when you can provide evidence that your accusers — i.e., all the other schools in your conference — are committing the same crime.
Michigan sent documents to the Big Ten and the NCAA allegedly showing that Purdue, Rutgers, and Ohio State exchanged communications about Michigan’s signs last year. Et tu, Brutus Buckeye?
That’s no better than anything Michigan’s been accused of. I’d say that’s worse, actually. Collusion!
There’s also this separate accusation — which, to be clear, Michigan hasn’t made itself — that Ohio State coach Ryan Day is somehow tied to the private investigator who first brought all this Stalions business to light.
Not sure I buy that one, but the source of those allegations might be relevant, depending how this all turns out.
Regardless, Harbaugh’s situation right now looks kinda like Pete Carroll’s last days at USC.
Carroll bolted for the Seahawks when the NCAA came down on his program, and Harbaugh’s reportedly considering an NFL comeback as the walls close in.
Again, hard to blame him. At least there, he can send signals to his quarterback through a headset.
This entire controversy is only possible because college football is somehow even more technology-averse than the pros, where transmitting plays electronically has been allowed since Bill Clinton’s first midterm.
The NCAA’s a little behind, and maybe the best outcome here would be them catching up so we never have to do this again.
But since we’re here, let’s try and enjoy the signs.
Also, This:
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