Grayson Weir
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Jim Harbaugh took the podium at Big Ten Media Days on Thursday afternoon. Elsewhere in Lucas Oil Stadium, members of the press were invited to chow down on the most ironic lunch possible.
The Big Ten served cheeseburgers. (Labeled as pre-wrapped, just in case us big dumb sports writers thought that the tin foil was actually part of the food itself.)
If you aren’t familiar with why that’s so funny, let’s break it down—
Jim Harbaugh is currently working with the NCAA on a possible four-game suspension to begin the 2023 season. It stems from his alleged false statements to investigators about recruiting violations.
The purported lies have to do with… the very same food served in Indianapolis on Thursday!
As the story goes, two recruits who had already committed to Michigan swung by Ann Arbor during the COVID-19 dead period for an impromptu visit. Harbaugh met up with the two Wolverines commits and wanted to buy them lunch, so he did.
The head coach met them at The Brown Jug, an Ann Arbor staple. And at The Brown Jug, getting a ‘Jug burger’ is the move.
Harbaugh wanted to experience his future players’ first Jug burger and bought them lunch.
That was a direct violation of NCAA protocols. To make it worse, the meal was had during the dead period. And then the NCAA found a receipt for those burgers.
When asked about the paper trail, Harbaugh was reportedly a bit dishonest.
In that moment, a Level II violation was bumped up to a Level I violation. Harbaugh may serve his four-game suspension as a result.
All because of some hamburgers, which were served on the same day that Michigan’s head coach spoke at Big Ten Media Days. How about that!
Jim Harbaugh isn’t embarrassed.
The 59-year-old addressed the ongoing NCAA investigation publicly for the first time on Thursday.
(Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
He isn’t allowed to say much, but he said that the time will come for him to talk.
As you probably already know, I’m not allowed to talk about any aspect of that ongoing situation. I’m with you: I’d love to lay it all out there.
Nothing to be ashamed of. But now is not that time. That’s about all there is to say about that.
— Jim Harbaugh
That’s all there is to say about that! You heard the man.
Meanwhile, in a room not so far away, members of the media were eating hamburgers. Ironic, isn’t it?
