The Pissing Match Continues

Stanford coach Jim Harbaugh took his position on the firing line again this week, telling ESPN's Pat Forde that everything he said about Michigan's ability to get borderline players into the university is true.

Harbaugh, a Wolverine alum, also took a shot at Michigan coach Lloyd Carr, saying comments by running back Mike Hart were, in essence, orchestrated.

"Mike Hart is just repeating their messages. When I was a player, there would have been nobody saying anything like what Mike Hart said about me. We would have been too afraid of the consequences.

"That wouldn't have happened while Bo [Schembechler] was there. I'm glad, as the head coach of Stanford, I don't have to deal with those repercussions."

But is Forde's piece, which takes a stance in support of Harbaugh’s assertion that too many players are being steered into the “general studies” program at Michigan, fair and balanced?

That might not be the case, according to Mark Snyder of the Detroit Free Press. Snyder writes:

"Forde stated that 'only one junior has declared a major, according to the [media] guide [in movement science]. In 18 years of covering college athletics, I've never seen virtually an entire junior class without a major.'

"That’s outdated information. That was from the spring media guide, before most juniors declare majors in the summer. In the fall media guide released last week, only two juniors [of 19] remained undeclared, and one is Antonio Bass, who has missed significant school time because of his leg injuries.

"And to use a media guide as the basis for the research is a bit limiting and selective, given Forde has no idea why some majors are listed and some are not."

Thanks to Image of Sport.