For some bizarre reason, the national media decided that Jim Harbaugh sleeping over at a recruit’s house was “quirky” and “zany.” National coverage of the Michigan football coach stalking a kid on campus was conveyed as “look at how dedicated he is!” and “he really cares about winning!”
Instead of what it really is- more than a bit creepy. Why is Harbaugh allowed to play by a different set of rules in the court of public opinion?
I don’t know the answer to that, you’ll have to take that query up with the heads of the big four networks.
Then on Friday, Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune penned this column spotlighting Harbaugh’s decision to dump a blue chip recruit just because he can, and believes that he can replace the kid with someone better. Here’s an excerpt of what Tedward wrote:
So what if you stain your profession and embarrass some of your alums. Gotta beat Ohio State, right?
I’ll give Harbaugh this: He is making a mockery of a system that is already a joke. “Committing” to a school does not mean you’re committed until the fax comes through on national signing day in early February. Kids have played the con game for years, “verbaling” to a MAC or Sun Belt school while hoping to pounce on a Big Ten or SEC offer.
Be sure to read the entire op-ed here.
The response to the Tribune piece from Michigan football?
Jim Harbaugh declined to comment Friday, and the University spokesman emailed the Tribune to say: “We won’t be commenting at this time due to NCAA rules.”
As you might expect, the Tribune column ignited a firestorm, and Greenstein followed up his original op-ed with this second essay.
On the same day that Greenstein’s piece ran, the Michigan football communications department sent out an email blast plugging their new National Signing Day gala.
Regardless of the program, National Signing Day is made for TV crap that’s overrated and stupid at best. At worst, it’s general creepiness as people take way too much interest in the life decisions of minors.
UM takes the pointless NSD hype up a notch as Derek Jeter’s cheesy website is throwing a Michigan football “Signing of the Stars” event. The press release describes it as:
“a must-see experience for college football fans, while also being supported from a diverse group of sports figures, artists and celebrities. While tickets to the innovative event are limited, it will be live-streamed on The Players’ Tribune website.”
Towards the end of the press release the school indicated, in the language of mollifying publicistspeak, how actual non-partisan Michigan football media are likely to be squeezed out of covering this event. Obviously, the people from Jeter’s website will be taking up the space instead.
Then again, it seems like the only thing the actual media will be missing is one big infomercial.
Still, for Michigan football communications to aggressively promote their Signing Day Harbash on the very same day that the Midwestern paper of record is slamming Harbaugh’s recruiting methods and practices- that’s tone deaf to say the least.
And the only comment Michigan football would go on record with in response to the story was “no comment.”
Very tone deaf indeed.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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