News continues to pour in on the Michigan scandal nearly daily.
Just in the last few days, news started with Big Ten coaches (all but Jim Harbaugh) holding a call with commissioner Tony Petitti to voice their concerns and encouraging the league to take unprecedented action with the feeling at the conclusion of that call unsure about whether any action would actually take place.
Then, the very next day, after a call with Big Ten athletic directors, the tide seemed to shift, as a change of tenor regarding possible discipline for the Wolverines seemed to be the message.
We're a few weeks into this scandal now, and it seems like the aggrieved schools involved in the illegal scouting and sign stealing have done more investigating than the both the NCAA and the Big Ten.
One would think that Michigan would have immediately launched their own investigation to clear their name and get to the bottom of this whole ordeal, but that hasn't been done either.
By now, everyone with a social media account has seen the videos circulating of Stalions sharing intel with Michigan coordinators on the sidelines during games, often in direct ear shot of Jim Harbaugh.
That takes us to today, when a letter from Michigan president Santa Ono to Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti was shared.
The letter comes just after the man in the center of the scandal, Connor Stalions, is no longer employed by Michigan. Stalions also released a statement last night.
Ono wrote the letter prior to Petitti's arrival in Ann Arbor, and it reads:
Dear Tony,
I look forward to our meeting and am writing now to share some of my deeply held beliefs, which I hope can inform our conversation and guide what we do next.
None of us wants to be in this situation. The University of Michigan takes its compliance obligations seriously. We are committed to ethics, integrity, and fair play. It is at our core and always will be. And that is why I am so deeply concerned about the allegations. “We are fully cooperating with the NCAA in its investigation, as it seeks to separate the facts from irresponsible speculation seen in much of the public and social media discourse.
It’s precisely at these times — when all key facts are not known but others are all too comfortable offering strongly held opinion — that it is essential for everyone to ensure that investigations are conducted fairly and that conclusions are based on what actually happened. The reputation and livelihoods of coaches, students, and programs cannot be sacrificed in a rush to judgment, no matter how many and how loudly people protest otherwise. Due process matters.
We, as would any other member of the Big 10, deserve nothing less. Our students, our coaches, our program—all are entitled to a fair, deliberate, thoughtful process. We are aware that other representatives of the Big 10 are demanding that you take action now, before any meaningful investigation and full consideration of all the evidence. That is not something our conference rules permit. And we both know it is not what any other member would want if allegations were raised against their people or programs.
The Big 10 has not informed us of any investigation of its own, as would be required under conference rules. And, to be clear, oral updates from NCAA enforcement staff do not and cannot constitute evidence, nor do we think the NCAA would ever intend for an oral update to be given that meaning or weight.
The best course of action, the one far more likely to ascertain the facts, is to await the results of the NCAA investigation. But if you refuse to let the NCAA investigative process play out, the Big 10 may not take any action against the University or its players or coaches without commencing its own investigation and offering us the opportunity to provide our position. That is not just required by our conference rules; it is a matter of basic fairness.
Let's dissect a few points by Ono attempts to make here.
We are committed to ethics, integrity, and fair play. It is at our core and always will be.
As Illinois head coach Ryan Walters has already pointed out, these are no longer allegations, the schools wronged have expeditiously done their own investigations and come up with facts that prove this statement to be untrue.
It’s precisely at these times — when all key facts are not known but others are all too comfortable offering strongly held opinion — that it is essential for everyone to ensure that investigations are conducted fairly and that conclusions are based on what actually happened.
NCAA investigations can take 12-18 months to complete. They're the slowest investigative body known to man outside of the folks that look into UFOs and Bigfoot. A quick and thorough investigation would most likely result in a penalty like Michigan not being able to compete in the Big Ten championship or College Football Playoff, and that would mean missing out on some serious dough as $4 million is awarded to each of the teams selected to the playoff.
The Big 10 has not informed us of any investigation of its own, as would be required under conference rules.
The fact that the Big Ten has not launched their own investigation is unacceptable, especially knowing how long the NCAA typically takes to investigate.
We are aware that other representatives of the Big 10 are demanding that you take action now, before any meaningful investigation and full consideration of all the evidence. That is not something our conference rules permit. And we both know it is not what any other member would want if allegations were raised against their people or programs.
Let me say this clearly. Unprecedented cheating requires unprecedented action. Period. This cannot be a crutch to no action.
...if you refuse to let the NCAA investigative process play out, the Big 10 may not take any action against the University or its players or coaches without commencing its own investigation and offering us the opportunity to provide our position.
You have had ample opportunity to launch an investigation of your own and to provide your position. Each minute, hour and day that passes are more opportunities to do precisely this, therefore this cannot be taken as a serious point.
That is not just required by our conference rules; it is a matter of basic fairness.
Basic fairness was not a concern when multiple investigative outlets - outside the NCAA - uncovered the lengths Stalions and his network (whoever that may include at the end of the day) went to launch and maintin their illegal operation. It's beyond ironic to be accused of cheating and stealing signals to gain a clear advantage and then attempt to wrap up the argument with a nod to: but...but...."basic fairness."
It will be very interesting to see what Petitti was able to come away from Ann Arbor with, and if the Big Ten will formally launch their own investigation, or if Petitti leans on the NCAA investigation for information to take action on the Wolverines.
With the end of the regular season just weeks away, time is of the essence.
As always, stay tuned to The Scoop for the latest.