I did hear from my primary source today. As always, you are free to believe or not believe this. Don’t shoot the messenger. Just sharing what I was told. Everything from Balas here is true. They are trying to move swiftly. Ono wants it done ASAP. My question was - Why?
My source says the reason it is an “ASAP” priority from Michigans side - to protect the school. Ono’s / BoR’s goal is to finalize the “extension” as previously negotiated, albeit tweaked with new termination language in case this all goes bad with the NCAA. On its face, it would be a “we stand with Jim” press release. Deeper, no one wants a contract dispute / lawsuit looming on top of an ncaa investigation.
As Balas notes, “that depends on Jim signing” - CB indicates this is not a done deal even though both sides allegedly agreed to the overall terms already. So why would that depend if everything was already hammered out? It’s because they are adding this termination language.
Why would Jim sign with the new language if it limits his contractual rights? Well, Ono and the Regents believe they have Jim in a tough spot. Whether he thinks he’s innocent or not, both sides want/need the extension done. Everyone realized after yesterday that putting it on hold was a bad look for recruiting and could be painted (rightly or wrongly) as indicative of the staffs “perceived guilt.” The NFL “blackball” situation remains fluid, and they feel he doesn’t have many other options anyways. Leverage exists, and they want to use it
At the same time, this language will define the rights of both sides. If Jim doesn’t want to sign, it would be a bad look given his public comments indicating willingness to finalize (made yesterday). If he refuses to sign (perhaps because he knows he’s aware/involved and the new language may likely be triggered, and does not want to tie his hands, so to speak), I’m told plan B could include the addition of some sort of a settlement payment that triggers upon exercise of the termination rights/ under certain scenarios. My source didn’t know where JH is at in his thinking on all of this, and probably won’t until the language is drafted and sent to Jim’s team to review.
All in all, they’re trying to work it through quickly and frame it positively (I.e. as “fighting back.”). The goal is to finalize this before any/much more comes out.
If it turns out Stalions was at MSU CMU, there is fear that Jim would be implicated as being aware - it is nearly impossible for staffers to…go “awol”…the night before a game…without HC input. Accordingly, that development could lead to the B1G officially opening an investigation. They want these ducks in a row before that happens. Time will tell. Go blue.
