The Beginning of the End

     The history is incredibly simple.  Jim Harbaugh was scraping the bottom during covid.  The team was not good but that was only a small part of what was happening.  He had received a humbling shutdown of his satellite camps.  Now he was facing a humiliating and significant cut in pay.

Harbaugh's Michigan football record is 40-3 since hiring Connor Stalions in 2021.

Mitch Albom calling the epic beatdown "murky" is incorrect.  All those Michigan boosters and fans, many of whom are graduates, saying it doesn't matter are wrong too, and worse given their allegiance.  

It started with Harbaugh's reinvention.  He doubled down on his football upbringing.  Everyone he hired was by definition on board.  We are going to do it my way and everyone who doesn't like it is the enemy.  A strange "Michigan against the world" mentality bonded the team and also made them better.  At the same time, it was us against the rules.

 

That was and still continues as the overall plot.  I have never seen Sherrone Moore pledge to run a clean program and restore the image that goes with it.  Nor have I seen instances of character in terms of the program.  He has done nothing.  He is not a spokesman, innovator, or communicator.  He is of the "I just want to coach football" ilk.  

What is Moore's reaction to all the violations and suspensions?  Take a bunch of money and sign a quarterback who never had any interest prior to the paycheck. 

Anyone who thinks it is only sign stealing are not seeing the overall culture and violations.  The evidence isn't perfect but it is indisputable.  If there was no such thing as circumstantial evidence there would be no evidence at all, the saying goes.  The worst part of it all are the fans who rationalize it.

Oklahoma was 6-6 last year and lost its bowl game.  People used to say Nebraska is by far the worst school in the Big Ten; that is still true.  Anyway, the news is still about the Sooners and graduates and or many games Moore will sit out each year.  The schedule has no Penn State and plenty of Central Michigan, Maryland, Purdue, and Northwestern.  The team, the roster, is dull.  Sure, they will probably have a winning record.

Summary:  Who cares?

Warde Manuel is of  course responsible.  Again.

 After more dicking around, when Harbaugh finally left, Manuel should have hired a new, real coach and not someone stuck in the muck.  The new coach builds the new staff.  A new coach stops the bleeding.

These people are a disgrace.  Add Dusty May with his signees too. 

I learned this by following the Atlanta Braves.  It is time to move on.

Conclusion:  I don't care.