MSU Rival Michigan Backtracks After Controversy, Thumbing Nose to NCAA
Sherrone Moore, head coach of Michigan State's rival, Michigan, has had an unenviable offseason.
What should be his coronation and the implementation of his vision and the new direction of the program has been mired in controversy, scandal, and outside noise. Distractions abound.
Allegedly, Moore had a hand in causing the aforementioned scandals and outside noise.
Regardless, the latest news might suggest that Moore is becoming fed up with said controversy. Per NBC's Pro Football Talk, Moore told reporters on Tuesday that former head coach Jim Harbaugh will not be in attendance for the Aug. 31 matchup against Fresno State. Harbaugh was supposed to be an honorary captain for the game.
"Moore said Harbaugh told him that he wants to focus on the [Los Angeles] Chargers," PFT wrote.
The Chargers could use that focus from Harbaugh. With Justin Herbert sidelined, the Harbaugh era in Los Angeles could get off to a rocky start.
Perhaps the outcry from Michigan's blatant disrespect of the institution of college football, one that it had so righteously championed throughout Harbaugh's tenure, was a contributing factor. Athletic director Warde Manuel's announcement of Harbaugh's one-day captainship drew the ire of fans and media.
"Michigan continues to pay deference to a man whose naked ambition for championship glory may have resulted in the ultimate destruction of the football program’s holier-than-thou image," Detroit Free Press' Rainer Sabin wrote. "Based alone on his personal drama with Harbaugh, it’s hard to fathom why Manuel is now planning to roll out the red carpet for the former coach’s ceremonial return instead of exiling him from Schembechler Hall for the foreseeable future. It becomes even more difficult to understand knowing that the NCAA has already turned Harbaugh into a persona non grata in the college football space and is still in the process of adjudicating the sign-stealing case ... Much in the same way that Harbaugh’s unrepentant reaction to the draft notice of allegations was galling, Michigan’s decision to pay tribute to him at this time seems particularly brazen, tone-deaf and arrogant."
The Wolverines managed to turn their own alleged wrongdoings into motivation last season, fueling a national championship run with a shameless victim mindset.
Continuously, the leaders and best fail to live up to those hallowed lyrics.
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MICHAEL FRANCE