Heather Dinich declares Michigan 'America's most polarizing team' in response to Jim Harbaugh claim
Heather Dinich put Jim Harbaugh calling Michigan “America’s Team” amid their sign-stealing scandal, and the coach’s suspension, into some fascinating perceptive.
On Monday, Harbaugh made waves by stating that the Wolverines’ represented the USA due to their perseverance, which caused many to believe Michigan is missing the point of this whole situation.
“The perseverance, you know, and just the stalwartness of these guys. I mean, it’s gotta be America’s Team. It’s gotta be America’s Team,” said Harbaugh, per On3’s Clayton Sayfie, explaining what he and America really admire in a football team.
“America loves a team that beats the odds, beats the adversity, you know, overcomes what the naysayers and critics, so-called experts think. That’s my favorite kind of team.”
Alas, Dinich’s rebuttal on Get Up on Tuesday was far from in agreement with Harbaugh’s claim, as she called Michigan, “America’s most polarizing team.”
“This is America’s most polarizing team, that’s what this is,” Dinich claimed. “Because the people watching this are either Michigan fans, who are 100% in line with everything Harbaugh is saying, and they’re ‘Us against the World’ mentality. But there are people out there who are saying, ‘You broke a rule. You broke an NCAA rule, and are suspended for the second time this season.’ Remember, he was suspended for the first three games.
“So yes, this team is absolutely galvanized. They’ve got their beanies and their shirts and all of those things, and ‘Us against the World’ and bloody noses for Blake Corum, and the image of it is fantastic. But this is espionage. This is a good college football espionage story, and that’s what’s so polarizing about it.”
While Michigan may be using the entire situation as motivation, it still rings as a little ridiculous to fans of other schools and media members alike. Dinich’s colleague, Paul Finebaum, actually called Harbaugh’s claim “sad and pathetic” when speaking on the situation.
“I found it sad and pathetic,” Finebaum said. “Why? Because this isn’t America’s team. This isn’t what America’s about. Here we are, just days removed from Veteran’s Day where we honor people who are really representative of America. This team is not representative of anything other than a program accused of cheating. Cheating!
“Trying to steal signs to gain an unfair advantage. That’s not the way this country was built and that’s not what should be described as America’s team.”
Nevertheless, Michigan and Jim Harbaugh is only concerned with the results on the field. America’s team or not, they’re still in great shape for the College Football Playoff.