Author: Zach Smith

Major Momentum for Fall Season

B1G Presidents are holding a vote (another vote? Or first official vote? Or a consensus conversation?) tomorrow via Zoom on reinstating the Season. Early October, Post-Thanksgiving and January 1 start dates are all on the table for the B1G season opener. This will be the official announcement for the season start date… finally some progress. Momentum is rapidly pushing support for the start date to come earlier after the overwhelming (and unexpected?) explosion of outrage by players, parents, and fans regarding the premature cancellation of the season. Not to mention Donald Trump’s pledge to assist with the newly approved rapid antigen tests came at the most opportune time. These are the reasons B1G Presidents are stating the new interest in pushing the start date of the season up. But we believe that is just them towing the company line. The real reason this season has new life has been alluded to all over social media. It’s CYA at its finest on the NCAA level.

Big Ten attorney Andrew Luger put out that “harm would be incredible” if the FOIA request from Tom Mars to release documentation around the decision to cancel the season was granted and made public. What could they possibly be hiding?  Let’s just say… this isn’t the first time one president would be exposed. Mark Schlissel has been caught with his democratic pants down before (If you didn’t know, click here) and rumor has it, this time it’s FAR worse.  His opinions (along with a handful of presidents) on the politics of cancelling the season, the amateurism of athletes and football in general would be the final nail in his careers coffin.  Furthermore the B1G conference submitted a sworn affidavit that the vote was 11-3, and two “voters” have publicly denounced said vote. Someone is lying and if it’s the conference, under oath, this could be a colossal problem (it’s called perjury) for the B1G.

Now the B1G is facing a major decision. Tuck their tail between their legs, admit they were wrong and reinstate the season to get Tom Mars off his witch hunt… or face the music for what they have done and deal with the blowback (that will be tremendous).  Adding to that issue is the judgment that hit the news yesterday that the B1G conference is to produce the documents around the “vote” by September 12^th.

Statement from our lawyer. pic.twitter.com/Eul41EDHJj

— Nebraska Cornhusker Football Parents (@ParentsNebraska) September 2, 2020

The proposition will be to reinstate a full fall schedule.  Four teams will opt out; Maryland, Rutgers, Illinois and Michigan State.  The remaining 10 teams will play an 8 game schedule.  The only item up for conversation is will they (can they) get it set up and done to execute it in October?  Or should the initial plan of after thanksgiving be the move?  It is not only possible to start in early October, it might be career ending for the powers at be to NOT.

Coaches Are Preparing and Teams are Practicing

The consensus amongst the six coaching staffs we have spoken to is unanimous.  “We don’t know shit.  What are you hearing?” In the history of the B1G conference there has never been a more disastrous situation that lacked transparency, leadership or communication. The fact Kevin Warren has yet to consult a single football coach is the main reason he needs to resign immediately. Wayne Duke would have had a conference call with Bo Schembechler and Woody Hayes. Jim Delaney would have contacted Urban Meyer, Jim Harbaugh and James Franklin. Kevin Warren is consulting the pictures of himself in the shrine in his home office.  Ryan Day, for one, had enough.

Football teams get 20 hours a week for football “in-season” and on Monday the Buckeyes were on the practice field preparing to go six straight days of full practice. Why?  Because a season is immenent?  No.  They have ZERO insight into any start date but the objective was clear… whether they play in October, November or January, they were not going to allow programs in the SEC, ACC or Big 12 stack 20 hours of development week in, week out leading into the 2021 season. Those hours are vital for the development of next years team as much as preparation for a weekly opponent. Cleats were laced up, helmets were buckled tight and Ryan Day and staff took his team to the turf and got back to work.

Always True

Epstein didn’t kill himself.  Bert McMurphy looks like a child molester.  Paul Finebaum watches Nick Saban press conference clips for pleasure.  Yahoo! Sportswriters want football cancelled and you to be miserable.  This cancellation was politically motivated.  The End.

Kevin Warren… Pepe Silvia… Pepe Silvia… Kevin Warren.  It’s always sunny in Philadelphia but it damn sure is raining in B1G Country.  The tin foil hats are on and it is time to free fall into the abys that is the Coronavirus rabbit hole.

In early summer Yahoo! Sports published an article on Kevin Warren’s directive to “swing the election” and after the 3 week debacle we have all witnessed by the Commissioner and B1G presidents it’s time to see how this initiative is going.

From Pete Thamel’s article on June 15, 2020:

“First-year Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren has made it a priority that the conference’s nearly 10,000 athletes will have a say in that election. Warren is in just his fifth month in charge of the 14-member league, and he has made it clear with his early actions that social change will be among the league’s priorities. The Big Ten announced a league-wide voter registration initiative on Monday, which will include non-partisan education and a deeper understanding of registration, voting and voter suppression.”

This initiative in and of itself should not be argued as anything but positive… and telling.  Five months into the job, amidst a national pandemic like nothing we have ever witnessed, Kevin Warren’s initiative was about… voting?  Seems like strange priorities for the head duck of one of the most powerful conferences in all of athletics.  Plan for the coronavirus?  Guidelines and regulations for player safety to execute a safe season?  Nah… pass out “Get Out and Vote” stickers!

Why?  Why would Kevin Warren and university presidents allow politics to influence decisions around sports?  Let’s not go full on Mel Gibson from 1997, there are several other influences that swayed this decision, but we are going to dive into this theory and see if Facebook starts listening to our Alexas.

There are six swing states in B1G country.  Ohio, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota.  In 2012, Barrack Obama won all six… in 2016, Trump took all but one of the sextet.  The literal key to the presidency is right here in the Midwest.  The political influence on playing sports this fall are undeniable.  Looking at all six swing states paints quite a vivid picture of partisanship when it comes to high school sports and cancel culture.  80 Electoral Collage Delegates on the line… and football is the weapon to steal them from the Orange Man!

Ohio – 18 Delegates
Governor: Mike DeWine (Republican)
President:  Kristina Johnson ([email protected])
High School FB: YES
B1G Vote:  YES

Michigan – 16 Delegates
Governor:  Gretchen Whitmer (Democrat)
UM President: Mark Schlissel ([email protected])
MSU President: Samuel Stanley ([email protected])
High School FB: NO
B1G Vote:  NO

Iowa – 6 Delegates
Governor: Kim Reynolds (Republican)
President: Bruce Harreld ([email protected])
High School FB: YES
B1G Vote:  YES

Wisconsin – 10 Delegates
Governor: Tony Evers (Democrat)
President: Rebecca Blank ([email protected])
High School FB: MIXED
B1G Vote:  NO

Pennsylvania – 20 Delegates
Governor: Tom Wolf (Democrat)
President: Eric J. Barron ([email protected])
High School FB: MIXED (Strongly recommended to 2021)
B1G Vote:  NO

Minnesota – 10 Delegates
Governor: Tom Walz (Democrat)
President: Joan Gabel ([email protected])
High School FB: NO
B1G Vote:  NO

Six States.  Two Republican Governors playing football this fall.  Four Democrats not playing or strongly recommending not playing.  That is just a microcosm of the national breakdown, just google it.  As deranged as this all sounds, it is fitting.  That is the leadership in government and the B1G outlined, now for the narrative communicators.  The voices filling our ears with an ulterior motive in synchronized unison.

It is no secret there are dozens of “sports media” who are loving the clickbait fear mongering that cancelling this season provides for advertising.  Sigh.  It is exhausting.  This mismanagement by Kevin Warren on the public relations front is nuclear.  So embarrassing that it seems he has hired someone else to handle it for him!  What is his job again?  Enter Carrie Gerlach Cecil.

Even AFTER she got called out for her clear political bias, one thing is evident solely based on her “Liked Tweets.”  She is in the Pat Forde, Dan Wetzel, Pete Thamel, Bert McDouchey and Nicole Auerbach camp.  In fact, it seems we have found Nicole Auerbach’s “source” for all things cancel culture!

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Thank God.  Our savior has arrived.  Public Relations in the B1G is saved.

Newsflash Commissioner Warren:  The only positive PR at this point is to HAVE A SEASON LIKE THE SOUTH.

At this point, denying the political influence in this decision is sheer ignorance.  The football fields in democratic states will be green and empty while the republican fields will be worn from teenagers playing the game they love.  Joe Biden is blaming Trumps handling of the virus:

NEW: Biden digital ad targets sports fans, showing footage of empty stadiums due to the COVID-19 pandemic

The campaign has taken over the YouTube masthead nationwide w/ a 30-second version, as well as CBS Sports

Targeted versions running in AZ, PA, MI, and WI pic.twitter.com/uJQFcHL9uR

— Johnny Verhovek (@JTHVerhovek) August 28, 2020

Donald Trump is trying to be the hero we all want but some hate:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1300815396950478849?s=20

The only undeniable thing here is the fact that the players, player families, coaches, athletic directors and fans ALL want to play… and it won’t happen because of a fight between a Donkey and an Elephant.  A babbling buffoon and an orange narcissist.  Liberals blame Trump.  Trump blames liberals.  We get no football.  What a time to be alive!

The good news is the Buckeyes were back on the practice field yesterday and are practicing all week.  Season or no season, Ryan Day is going to maximize the 20 hours they have weekly all fall to maximize this team so that whenever the toddlers making decisions decide to play nice… the Silver Bullets will be ready.