Can’t Wait For Saturday | Celebrating Harbaugh at the opener is the wrong message for national champs

Aug. 10—***

On Friday afternoon, I was a guest on WDWS’ “SportsTalk.” Before my segment, host Scott Beatty shared the story about Jim Harbaugh being Michigan’s honorary captain for the Aug. 31 home game against Fresno State. I thought Beatty was joking.

Over the years, I have used the terms “goofball” and “weird” to describe Harbaugh, But nothing ever that included the term “honor.” It doesn’t fit.

The head coach did bring a national title to Michigan. That apparently tops the shame of an NCAA investigation that landed in Ann Arbor because of Harbaugh’s actions.

The NCAA has banned Harbaugh from coaching college football with a show-cause penalty. Fortunately for Harbaugh, he has avoided the NCAA enforcement by fleeing to the safety of the NFL’s Los Angeles Chargers. Too bad the NCAA penalties don’t apply to pro football.

And the investigations into Michigan football under Harbaugh’s watch are not over. The sign-stealing case continues and doesn’t look great for the Wolverines.

Nobody forced Michigan to invite Harbaugh back so soon. It is bad form and doesn’t indicate any kind of remorse on the part of the school.

If Michigan is found guilty of sign-stealing, the NCAA might hand Michigan extreme penalties. Maybe even a year or two of not being eligible for the College Football Playoff. But at least Harbaugh got to celebrate his title.


Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/cant-wait-saturday-celebrating-harbaugh-145800744.html

Author : The News-Gazette, Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

Publish date : 2024-08-10 14:58:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.

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