Not sure if this is the place to share, but recent post on 11W from PD.
Some new reporting here.
In the previous thread, I mentioned an interesting conversation with one of my folks on this one. I checked back on a few things and asked permission to share, so here we are.
Much is made about the "lightning fast" speed with which the NCAA is operating here, and that is true. However, they're not being pushed by some drive to beat their own timeframes and wrap this up quickly... in fact, some procedural steps have taken longer than usual as they work to do everything straight-by-the-book to neuter any future appeal or lawsuit attempts.
This investigation has progressed at a breakneck speed - looking to be around 18 months between the start and a committee hearing - because they were handed what basically amount to a completed case file. That first information handed over included the master spreadsheet, evidence of the video recordings, game schedules, and private messages. It's the difference between finding a dead body and finding a dead body with the murder weapon - covered in fingerprints, next to the killer's drivers license, a timestamped UberEats receipt, and a printed out screenshot of the killer typing up his plan.
The 8-ish months of active investigation on this obviously had to start with verifying and validating the "WHAT" from the evidence as handed over, but was able to spend much more time digging into the "WHO," "HOW," and "WHY." The "what" on its own was enough to at least lead to suspending coaches and tossing victories. Unfortunately for UM the deeper things got, the worse it looked: Proof of understanding within the program of how the impermissible scheme worked. Proof of its financing. Proof of the materials being prepped and seen by multiple staffers. Proof of conversations meant to mislead players and other outsiders about their sign stealing.
When some new evidence emerged from CMU early this fall additional clarification was needed, resulting in an extension of the response deadline. At least a portion of this new information is incredibly supportive of the NCAA's case: Proof that at least one Michigan coach and an additional staffer knew of Stalions' trip to that Friday night game.
We're almost to the end of this quiet phase of things, and we have an incredible opportunity of our own a week from tomorrow.
Realistically we are likely to watch our team win the natty, read the NOA, watch UM's 21-23 seasons get zapped and their coach suspended, and witness their fanbase completely meltdown when their fortress of willful ignorance is overtaken.
Raise your glass, ladies and gentlemen. We've made it.
