Posted on 11/10/2023 9:45:44 PM PST by TBP
Michigan Wolverines, SEC or ACC school? Sounds insane, right?
Turns out it may not be as crazy as it sounds, if a report from Sports Illustrated’s Michael Rosenberg is to be believed.
Rosenberg reported that the University of Michigan’s board of regents met last week to discuss the possibility of leaving the Big Ten conference entirely. The regents were, as of last week, concerned the conference commissioner Tony Petitti might suspend head coach Jim Harbaugh over the Connor Stalions scandal without due process.
And then Petitti suspended Jim Harbaugh because of the sign stealing scandal without due process.
OutKick’s Trey Wallace also reported on Friday that outside athletic directors have expressed similar concerns. Specifically mentioning that the conference’s decision making process has been
“They (Michigan) know that the Big Ten has rushed this whole situation,” a Power-5 AD told Wallace. “And, they’re using it to their advantage, especially with the NCAA continuing to dig. For the conference to decide on a punishment without a full investigation completed has caused other schools administrators around college football to take notice. The problem for Tony (Petitti) is that he’s setting a pretty bad precedent, while only being on the job for not even a year.
(Excerpt) Read more at outkick.com ...
Tradition and natural rivalries are a foreign language to Big Sports Media, who only thinks in dollar signs.
They won’t be satisfied until the grandstands are empty.
Of course, everything is T.V. based, but for true fans, driving to a road game and having an overnight trip, what could be better?
But again, it'll never happen.
If U of M wants to join another conference, they could still keep the Ohio State game as a standing date. Does anyone (other than fans of the opposition) really look forward to Indiana/MD/Rutgers/Penn State/etc?
Michigan alumni and fans won’t stand for changing conferences. The question is does the university really care what alumni think. Is there a way to trade stadiums with Rutgers or Northwestern? If Michigan leaves the BiG they won’t need the Big House.
I'll probably never understand their anamosity to the boosters/supporters/season ticket holders, but it's surely a major motivating factor.
So when will everyone just be an SEC school because they sell some big college football contract idea? So coaches, staff, and schools make billions but complain when kids want to transfer to another school and still keep eligibility like any other student can? Ok got it.
They could be replaced by UNC, FSU, or ND tomorrow. This is laughable. Leaving the b1g would bankrupt their athletic department.
I was always told Michigan Men were smart.
Come to think about it it was always Michigan Men who told me that.
Who told you that Michigan is absolutely loaded and can easily leave the conference Oklahoma, USC,UCLA, Washington, and Oregon all just did it and they have nowhere near the funding Michigan does. They can easily goto the ACC or SEC or Big 12…get a renegotiated tv deal in a couple years and move on they actually have more money then Notre Dame who is currently independent despite a loose affiliation with the ACC.
Michigan is not going anywhere, the belong in the Big 10, instead of figuring out why Harbaugh is getting suspended and thinking everyone is picking on them, they are mad and wanting to take their equipment and goes elsewhere.
Every school that gets caught cheating makes the same argument, everyone cheats why are you picking on us. My school the Florida Gators lost 2 head coaches in the 80s for cheating and had a conference championship stripped from the record books in May after the season was over. Gator Fans were all complaining about getting picked on because everyone cheats.
The rule Michigan broke is extremely clear, you can’t send coaches to scout future teams in person and you can’t use electronic means to steal the signals of the other team.
There is ample evidence that Michigan was doing both, if other teams are doing it, turn them in and provide the proof, but crying about it is tiresome.
Ohio State would likely move with Michigan.
The professionalazation of collegate sports has been progressing for decades. It’s no longer hidden and the chase for money is wide open.
I just hope they remember that “when the money gets big people get hurt”.
NIL and gambling have killed the game.
I was kinda looking forward to the Big Ten Conference championships featurng teams like Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, etc., vs teams like USC, UCLA, Washington, etc.
You know... an old-fashioned Rose Bowl.
>> They could be replaced by UNC, FSU, or ND tomorrow. <<
You’re arguing that the best team in the conference.... one of only three top forty teams in the conference.... could be replaced by a decent basketball team, a moribund athletic program that, or a team that they have salivated over for decades?
The addition of the four Pac-8 teams makes Big Ten too big to be destroyed by any one single departure, but it’d be like Disney losing Florida.
Intercollegiate sports is one of the weirder American peculiarities.
It’s not actually a thing elsewhere.
Michigan is a better academic fit for the ACC, anyway. If ND gets full membership in the ACC and SC/UCLA flip the league is competitive with the Big 10, IMO.
Michigan’s not going anywhere. The days of a school leaving a conference because they’re pissed with it are over. There’s too much money at stake now.
Where would Michigan go? There are 2 conferences that stand head and shoulders above the rest in all aspects - fans, money, facilities, etc etc. If Michigan left the B1G would they go to the SEC? There’s no way in hell the SEC would accept them. So now they’d have to take a huge demotion and a lot less money to head to the ACC or Big 12. That’s just not realistic.
If we can’t cheat, we’re leaving!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.