THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN: A MANIFESTO AGAINST SILENCE AND ROT
And so, here we are again. Another day, another scandal, another institution proving beyond a shadow of a doubt that its gleaming facade is nothing more than a thin coat of paint over a cesspool of hypocrisy and moral cowardice. Because when the headlines scream about “New details in former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore’s arrest” and an attorney alleges a “long history of domestic violence,” any pretense of integrity shatters, leaving only the grim reality of what college football truly is: a money-laundering machine dressed in school colors, where winning trumps everything, especially decency.
But let’s not pretend this is a surprise, because it ain’t. This isn’t just about one man, one coach, or one incident. This is about the very foundation upon which these so-called hallowed institutions are built. It’s about the systemic rot that allows allegations of a “long history of domestic violence” to fester, to be ignored, to be swept under the rug until they burst into public view like a festering boil. And then, only then, does anyone even bother to feign concern, to put on a show of accountability.
The Ugly Truth: Accountability, What Accountability?
And because the truth is always uglier than the official narrative, we’ve got to ask the hard questions that nobody in power wants to touch. If Sherrone Moore had a “long history of domestic violence,” as alleged by the attorney, then how in the absolute hell did he continue to climb the coaching ladder at one of the nation’s most prestigious universities? But it’s a rhetorical question, isn’t it? We all know the answer. Because he was good at football. Because he brought wins. And in the warped morality of big-time college sports, that’s often all that matters.
And don’t tell me nobody knew. Don’t insult my intelligence with that load of hogwash. People always know. Insiders whisper, victims suffer in silence, and those in charge conveniently turn a blind eye, hoping the problem will just go away. It’s the oldest trick in the book, a classic case of “see no evil, hear no evil,” especially when there’s millions of dollars and national championships on the line. But what does that say about the leadership? What does it say about the moral compass, or lack thereof, guiding the decision-makers?
Because the finger of blame, let’s be crystal clear, doesn’t stop at Moore. Oh no, it reaches much, much higher. It points directly at the supposed stewards of the institution, people like UM’s Manuel, whose “oversight… questioned over scandals” has become a recurring nightmare for anyone still clinging to the fantasy of integrity. It’s his job to know. It’s his job to protect the institution, yes, but more importantly, to protect the people within it, and the values it supposedly represents. And when scandals like this keep popping up, it makes you wonder what kind of oversight is happening at all. Or perhaps it’s precisely the *kind* of oversight that is the problem: deliberate, calculated blindness.
The Culture of Complicity: Why the Staffer Wasn’t Fired
And then there’s the kicker, the ultimate slap in the face: “Why the staffer in the Sherrone Moore scandal wasn’t fired.” Because in this twisted ecosystem, where loyalty to the program often outweighs loyalty to basic human decency, consequences are often reserved for the small fry, never for those who enable the rot or who are too valuable to jettison. But let’s be real, this isn’t about some isolated lapse in judgment. This is a symptom of a deeply ingrained culture of complicity, where protecting the brand and the bottom line is paramount, regardless of the human cost.
And this isn’t just Michigan. This is endemic to college sports, and frankly, to many powerful institutions across the globe. When money and power are concentrated, ethics become a luxury, a quaint concept easily discarded when inconvenient. We’ve seen it with countless other programs, other universities, other scandals that promised change but delivered only more of the same. It’s a broken record, a tragic farce that keeps playing on repeat, and the victims are always the ones left picking up the pieces while the perpetrators move on, often with lucrative new gigs.
Because the truth is, the system is designed to protect itself. It’s a self-perpetuating machine that prioritizes athletic success above all else, creating a climate where toxic behavior can thrive unchecked. Think about the countless stories buried, the whispers ignored, the quiet settlements. This isn’t an anomaly; it’s the pattern. And until we acknowledge that pattern, until we demand a radical overhaul, we’re just going to keep cycling through the same depressing news cycles, feigning shock and outrage while nothing fundamentally changes.
A History of Convenient Amnesia
But let’s talk history, because this ain’t new, not by a long shot. Remember the Nassar scandal at Michigan State? Or the litany of NCAA infractions that somehow never truly bring down the biggest programs? This Moore situation, with its allegations of domestic violence, isn’t an outlier. It’s part of a much larger, darker tapestry that weaves through the fabric of college athletics. It speaks to a “win at all costs” mentality that corrodes the very soul of what higher education is supposed to represent. And that mentality fosters an environment where certain individuals are deemed ‘untouchable’ simply because of their perceived value on the field.
And because these institutions are so obsessed with their public image, they’ll pull out all the stops to manage the narrative, to deflect blame, to minimize the damage. But the writing’s on the wall, friends. The jig is up for anyone who still believes in the fairytale of amateurism and noble pursuit. This is big business, plain and simple, and like any big business, it has its dark underbelly, its dirty secrets that it desperately tries to keep hidden from public scrutiny. But eventually, the truth has a way of oozing out, no matter how hard they try to plug the dam.
The Future: More Smoke and Mirrors?
And what does the future hold, you ask? More of the same, I reckon, unless WE, the people, the fans, the parents, the citizens, finally say ENOUGH. Because without public pressure, without a genuine, sustained outcry, these institutions will simply revert to type. There will be internal reviews, maybe a few minor casualties to appease the masses, and then, slowly but surely, it’ll be back to business as usual. They’ll wait for the news cycle to move on, for the outrage to fade, and then they’ll continue operating in the same morally bankrupt fashion that got them into this mess in the first place.
But the implications stretch far beyond the football field. This kind of systemic failure to address serious allegations of violence undermines trust in all authority. It teaches young people that if you’re powerful enough, if you’re valuable enough, the rules don’t apply to you. And that, my friends, is a dangerous, corrosive lesson that eats away at the very fabric of a just society. Because when a university can’t even hold its own staff accountable for serious allegations, what hope do we have for anyone else?
And so, let this be a wake-up call, not just for Michigan, but for every single university that thinks it can get away with this kind of crap. Because the world is watching, and we’re tired of the excuses, tired of the cover-ups, and tired of the sheer audacity of those in power who believe they are above reproach. But the game isn’t just on the field anymore; it’s a fight for integrity, for accountability, for a shred of decency in a world that seems to be losing its way, one scandal at a time. And we, the angry rebels, aren’t going to shut up. Not now, not ever.
