Paul Finebaum blasts NCAA for 'vindictive' Jim Harbaugh show-cause penalty: 'Nobody respects this organization'

The NCAA dropped the hammer on former Michigan Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh following an investigation into impermissible benefits and recruiting during the Covid-19 dead period.

The punishment includes a one-year suspension for Jim Harbaugh, who is now in the NFL, and a four-year show-cause penalty. For ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum, it’s an overly harsh and vindictive punishment. With that, he made an appearance on Get Up to blast the NCAA and explain why nobody respects it as an organization.

“Essentially, you run a stop sign and appear in front of a judge and he gives you the death penalty,” Finebaum said. “He says, ‘What’s your choice? Gas chamber or electric chair or maybe the firing squad?’ I’m searching desperately, because I’m a writer, to come up with new words to describe the NCAA but the same ones apply every time.”

Harbaugh was suspended at the start of the 2023 season by Michigan for the same violations that the NCAA is punishing him for now. One of the major factors in their investigation came down to Harbaugh being uncooperative.

“They are completely dysfunctional, they are vindictive, they are petty, but mostly, and I think everybody can sing the hymnal here, they’re laughable. Nobody respects this organization. Nobody really cares about them anymore because Jim Harbaugh is never, ever, ever coming back. I know I’m reciting Taylor Swift here, but he’s not coming back to college football,” Finebaum said.

“That’s why he left. He left to get away from this posse. He watched and saw what Pete Carroll did at USC. Pete ran as fast as he could and left the mess to Lane Kiffin and [Steve] Sarkisian and everyone else, and they’re still trying to dig out from it. Chip Kelly did the same thing. So, this is not novel. This is pathetic.”

This is, notably, not the only investigation by the NCAA into Harbaugh and Michigan. There is still the ongoing sign-stealing investigation that will likely lead to more punishment.

“One more thing for the audience to remember, this is not for the serious stuff. This is not for the Connor Stalions sign stealing. This is for, I don’t know, handing out hamburgers to recruits or players during Covid. Had Harbaugh said, ‘I get it. You got me.’ He may have been suspended for a game. Instead, he’s been banned for life and sentenced to a firing squad. That’s how absurd this is.”

Finebaum wasn’t alone in this opinion on the Get Up panel. All felt the NCAA went beyond what they should have and felt it was largely pointless with Harbaugh back in the NFL. EJ Manuel went so far as to say the NCAA decided to “double down on making themselves look silly” and that they “continue to make themselves look stupid.”

The issues with the NCAA have prompted some to think that college sports should break away from it, and while Finebaum will point to it for many of the issues in college sports, it’s not a quick thing to break from.

“It’s one reason why college sports is bursting apart. We can keep piling on, but you just have to sit out with these leaders and laugh because they don’t understand reality…They are politicians. The president of the NCAA, Charlie Baker, was a former governor. They sit around and they literally screw everything up. For those who want to say, ‘Well colleges need to leave the NCAA,’ they need a plan. That will take another 15 or 20 years,” Finebaum said.

“I agree with you. I can’t wait for the NCAA infractions committee to come in on Connor Stalions because they may double down on this penalty. Instead of a four-year ban, they may give Harbaugh a 10-year ban.”

In his final season at Michigan, Jim Harbaugh went unbeaten and won a national championship. He shortly left after that to coach the Los Angeles Chargers.