Someone should ask walnut-brain Balas the following question: If the NCAA gave scUM three years probation for one Level I violation in Burgergate, how many years will scUM get for FIVE Level I violations in the Sign Stealing scandal? Including a Level I violation for scUM for its "pattern of noncompliance within the football program" and institutional efforts to impede the NCAA's investigation. Like the NCAA is just gonna tack on another 15 or 20 years to their probation and say: "Yeah, we're good. Keep your Natty."
It is interesting to go back nearly a year and look at the original reporting on this story, much of it which came from the non-traditional sports media like the Washington Post. Here is an
ESPN article from October 26, 2023, citing the Washington Post:
So, we've known for 10+ months that an outside investigative firm had hard evidence of Stalions's scheme, that scUM coaches were accessing Stalions's videos, and that such evidence had been turned over to the NCAA. A week later (November 2, 2023), in a phone conversation with scUM, NCAA investigators told scUM officials that they "knew and could prove" the extensive sign-stealing operation conducted by Stalions. The extent of the Sign Stealing scandal (including the costs), the participation of scUM coaches in the cheating, and the involvement of the outside investigative firm are very old news (despite the fact that scUM and its media symps are still portraying this scandal as a big old nothing burger with a heaping side of whataboutism).
It is interesting to note scUM's response to the initial charges: They suggested that the outside investigative firm was disreputable, stated that the NCAA investigation was a "publicity stunt", claimed that everybody steals signs (including scUM's opponents, making them the real victim, or whatever you want to call them), whined about "due process" and a "rush to judgment" (Santo Ono speaking there), and threatened to sue (but shockingly – cue Claude Rains – backed out of their TRO hearing at the last minute). It seems that scUM's "top men" originally thought that this whole investigation was based on Ohio State hiring Sam Spade to dig up dirt on scUM because the Buckeyes couldn't beat the Wolverines on the gridiron.
It also seems that this was still the semi-official position of scUM until the NOA and supporting evidence hit their desks (and the shit hit their fans) about a week ago. It looks like there has been a very loud wake up call received in The Whore and tunes have changed drastically (Warde Manuel: "If we do things that are against the rules, that we know are against the rules, we need to admit it and move forward and deal with it..... There’s a sense that you have a responsibility to adhere to rules we say we’re going to participate in."). Otherwise, radio silence from scUM, although their walnut-brained fanboys are still claiming "We didn't do anything wrong – probation and fines. And maybe no fines because we didn't do anything wrong." Good luck with that.
This isn't a witch hunt, a publicity stunt, or sour grapes. This isn't scUM doing what everyone else does but doing it better (Leaders and Best!!!). This is scUM blatantly and extensively cheating, and then covering up (destroying evidence, witness tampering, lying to investigators, not cooperating, systematic non-compliance and obstruction otherwise known as LOIC). The plunger is coming and I'm here for it.
5 MINUTES AGO
