With friends like Jim Harbaugh, Sherrone Moore doesn’t need enemies.
Sure, Harbaugh is responsible for Moore getting a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the head coach at the University of Michigan.
Then again, it’s a classic example of being set up for failure.
While Harbaugh has escaped 2,300 miles away to LA-LA Land and the NFL, playing the role of Shaggy (“It wasn’t me”), Moore remains in Ann Arbor holding the garbage bag.
It's tough enough that Moore inherits a much more difficult schedule, juxtaposed with heightened expectations coming off a national title campaign, but the microscope of scandal is now on him.
Not that Moore was necessarily innocent. The allegations against him are disturbing, but Harbaugh has gotten off scot-free.
Yet, there is a key factor that holds true with Moore as it did with Harbaugh: If he wins, none it will matter.
The students, alumni, board of regents, the happy emoji known as university president Santa Ono and athletic director Warde Manuel don’t care about the scandal. Certainly, the massive fan base that has no actual connection to UM isn’t concerned. The Wolverines are essentially a professional team to them.
There are two words that best fit Michigan.
One is champions. Last season, as Michigan rolled to the national championship, angst about the Connor Stalions sign-stealing scandal and the Harbaugh suspensions waned. Michigan’s players were fabulous. Nobody should take anything away from their accomplishments. They earned it. The title couldn’t be more legitimate from that standpoint.
Institutionally, though, Michigan is the very definition of hypocritical.
The “leaders and the best” used to be more than a slogan, it was the Michigan way.
Michigan has morphed into just another school that believes in winning at all costs.
The pathetic part is Michigan didn’t have to resort to such tactics.
Harbaugh had to go and it was quite convenient he was able to bolt to the NFL.
None of this will stick on him. The accumulation of deportment issues in Michigan’s athletic department under Manuel’s watch has been startling, but the national title has proven to be the great elixir for him.
The board of regents is gladly and willingly to bury its collective head in the sand about all this, and the president is, well, happy.
While the rest of the world understands just how duplicitous Michigan is, the university and its fan base don’t care.
They say it’s rivalry accusations or jealousy or justifiable because “everyone is doing it.”
In truth it’s simply Michigan has forgotten what made it such a treasured entity.
And it’s possible, perhaps probable, Sherrone Moore will become the scapegoat should the chickens come home to roost.
Sure that’s not right or fair, but it’s the new Michigan, Charlatans of the West.