Colin Cowherd begs NCAA, Michigan football rival fans to move on from Stalions saga

Restful offseason, you’re out. Pearl clutching, you’re back in.

That’s because the NCAA notice of allegations draft against Michigan football for the Connor Stalions scheme was leaked to ESPN and many of the usual offenders are screeching about ‘cheating!’ and the harsh penalties they would give if they were judge, jury, and executioner. But many top pundits aren’t taking the same bait they were back in Oct. 2023.

On Monday, Colin Cowherd reacted to the news of the NOA draft, and he couldn’t work himself up to outrage. While basically stating ‘everyone does wrong in college football, ‘ Cowherd noted that things that were once thought to be outrageous enough to cancel a program aren’t only legal, but now encouraged.

“So for years and years as a college football fan, we all know the one thing you couldn’t do, it was a death penalty,” Cowherd said. “And I’ll pause for a second — what was the one thing you couldn’t do? And then three years ago, you could suddenly do it, and you were encouraged to do it, and rewarded for doing it — buying high school players.

“That’s why my entire career, 30 years of doing this — I have been saying this for 30 years — everybody’s paying everybody. Stop being a do-gooder. Buckeye fans pointing fingers. Oh yeah, you’re not doing it. Michigan, everybody, SEC, Georgia, everybody. I mean, it’s kind of well-known that when Pete Carroll was rolling at USC, Ed Orgeron was his defensive line coach. Boy, USC could get defensive linemen like nobody else. I’ll leave it at that. But people that know they got busted for Reggie Bush. You think it was the only thing? And I’m supposed to be a USC homer. Go look at John Wooden’s track record, his No. 1 booster. That’s why Bobby Knight, to the end, resented him.

“The truth is, I’m told to be outraged by pot and sports gambling, and I never am, because if I wanted to smoke pot, not saying I ever did, it was always available. And if I wanted to bet with a bookie, not saying I ever did, it was always available. Stop screaming at clouds.

“The latest controversy, the NCAA — and I defended Michigan all year on this — the NCAA has obtained information that states investigators have seen that Connor Stalions had scouted, impermissibly scouted, at least 13 Michigan opponents on 58 occasions, including once when he was on the Michigan State sideline the season opener, wearing a bench pass and a disguise. I actually think that’s funny. I mean, I worry more about Michigan State security. Some guy walked up with a crooked, fake mustache, dark sunglasses on a cloudy day, and gave the name Patty O. Furniture, and they let him in. I’m not worried about Michigan. I’m worried about the Michigan State security team. Come on. My name is Kent C. Straight. Here’s your pass!

“So for the record, everybody — just like cannabis and sports gambling — everybody’s stealing signs, they just do it differently. I do not believe that guy in the TV picture is the difference between Michigan and Ohio State. I think it was a better coach, better planning, and more physicality. But you will go ahead and blame the guy in the crooked mustache, but over the last three years — the same timeline of the allegations against Michigan and Connor Stalions — over that same timeline, there has been not only an acknowledgment but a reality of college football, that the thing I was told would earn you the death penalty — buying a high school player — is not only legal, it’s encouraged.

“Baylor football coaches at fall practice this weekend were wearing shirts that said ‘we pay players.’ So I was told, for years, I said, everybody’s paying everybody. Texas has Lambos out front for recruits, Baylor coaches, we pay players. I was told for years this was outrageous. And I said, I know programs, I know college athletes. I know guys in the NFL, the stars were getting paid just like for years and years. Ooh, pot, cannabis legalization. It’s everybody I know that wanted to smoke pot, could buy a bag anytime they wanted to. Wasn’t ending America? Well, I told sports gambling, oh, the NFL for years, terrible, terrible, terrible, terrible. The minute it was legal, first people in the NFL.

“Stop trying to sell me outrage. Stop trying to tell me stuff is a stigma. Pot — I grew up in Washington State, like the state plant. I worked in Vegas for seven years. Everybody was betting on sports. If you wanted to make a bet in a game, you could. So now I’m supposed to believe fake mustache guy on the sidelines that’s changing outcomes. Come on, man.”

This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Colin Cowherd begs NCAA, Michigan football rival fans to move on from Stalions saga