Reset the days without embarrassment for Michigan Athletics counter to zero.
On Saturday night, Michigan confirmed the retirement of Glenn “Shemy” Schembechler, who was hired as an assistant recruiting director just days earlier after years as an NFL scout. The reason was numerous racist and insulting likes on his Twitter account, which were shared publicly by other Twitter users immediately after he was hired.
It’s another controversy in Ann Arbor, one of several over the past year, ranging from a sex abuse scandal to bullying on the hockey program to the actions of various players and coaches. But this one was the easiest to avoid and begs the question of what those responsible thought. It’s not hard to find someone’s Twitter likes.
among the Likes tweet von Schembechler included a claim that slavery and Jim Crow laws were good for black people, a tweet comparing a member of Congress to an African tribe, many transphobic comments, and numerous political conspiracies related to the Black Lives Matter movement and of choice.
After the screenshots were first posted, someone searched the account to try and remove some of the likes. It wasn’t enough to save his job. The account was deactivated on Saturday.
Regardless of whether Schembechler should take on a player-focused recruiting role or an analytical role, it’s not going to happen that there’s someone interacting with the notion that slavery is good in a team full of black players. Will Harbaugh feel the need to discuss this with his team? (The same question applies to the Las Vegas Raiders, who employed Schembechler for four years before firing him in February.)
Schembechler released a lengthy statement Sunday night, saying he “inexplicably and irresponsibly” liked the posts. It was a well-written apology that was circulated via a PR group. It just didn’t jibe at all with Twitter activity going back months. The fact that he had to make it clear in the statement that Jim Crow laws were bad really says it all.
There are few possible explanations for how this happened, and all are inexcusable to Michigan:
- The school did a background check and didn’t spot the likes, resulting in a terrible background check.
- The school ran a background check, found the likes, and hired him anyway.
- The school did not conduct background checks and let Jim Harbaugh hire whoever he wanted.
Whatever the answer, it’s another embarrassing moment for Michigan. Largely because Schembechler’s extreme and seditious political beliefs were no secret to many who followed Michigan football closely.
“We are aware of some comments and likes on social media that have caused concern and pain among individuals in our community,” Harbaugh and sporting director Warde Manuel said in a joint statement. “Michigan Athletics is fully committed to providing a place where our coaches, staff and student-athletes feel welcome, and where we fully support the university’s and athletic department’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.”
This is neither an apology nor an admission of error on Michigan’s part, and Schembechler even had the honor of calling it a “resignation.”
Aside from the appalling activity on social media, the hiring of Bo Schembechler’s son was insulting in the first place to the hundreds of former Michigan athletes who have come forward in recent years to allegations of sexual abuse at the hands of former team doctor Robert Anderson. Many of those players claimed that Bo and athletic director Don Canham knew of Anderson’s behavior and did not stop it.
One such survivor who claimed abuse by Anderson and knowledge by Bo was Matt Schembechler, Bo’s adopted son and Shemy’s stepbrother. Shemy was among those who defended his father.
The Anderson scandal led to a $490 million settlement between the school and more than 1,000 survivors last September.
Comparative money aside, there was little if any attempt to further improve on the past. The Michigan football building still bears the Schembechler Hall name. The statue of Bo still stands. Both are symbols of defiance, that Michigan’s track record is what matters most, that Bo’s ultimate legacy cannot be damaged, and that the former Bo players who currently run the soccer team and athletic department don’t believe that should change.
Harbaugh and Manuel continued to praise Bo as the Anderson scandal unfolded. Manuel spoke of Bo’s “integrity” and “belief in doing things right” in 2022. when adding”We are all fallible.” Harbaugh said in 2021 after the allegations against Bo that his former coach would never have looked the other way.
This comment from Harbaugh prompted one of his teammates, Gilvanni Johnson, to come forward and say he also told Bo about the abuses at the hands of Anderson. Johnson played with Harbaugh at Michigan from 1983 to 1986 and said it was a common joke among players to refer to Anderson as “Dr. Anal.” Johnson said he was concerned he would lose his scholarship if he recited it to Bo a second time.
Michigan’s leadership hoped that anyone upset by the continued honoring of Bo would just go ahead and forget it. Many did. Until Harbaugh’s haughtiness prompted him to bring another Schembechler back into the building. Had the likes not been spotted on social media, Michigan football would have continued to evolve in hopes everyone would remember Bo for his Big Ten championships and slogans.
Again, this is just the latest in a series of embarrassments and scandals surrounding Michigan athletics over the past year.
The Shemy-Schembechler affair comes less than a year after Michigan parted ways with hockey coach Mel Pearson after he was accused of numerous allegations of a toxic culture that has included abusing women, bullying and retaliating against players, and injuring COVID -19 security protocols.
After the school hired a new coach, Pearson was allowed to continue attending hockey games in Michigan, where he could watch the same players he had bullied. He was interviewed from the Big Ten Network bleachers during a game, something the athletic department didn’t know was going to happen and would be covered on the broadcast, the athletic department said.
In October, running back Donovan Edwards retweeted an anti-Semitic tweet with a clip from Kanye West. Edwards later apologized, claiming it was a “mistake”. University Regent Jordan Acker said Edwards and the team would visit a Holocaust museum.
In December, it was revealed that defensive tackle Mazi Smith had been charged with a gun crime during a traffic stop in October for speeding. Michigan defended its decision not to suspend Smith, despite Harbaugh calling for criminal charges against Michigan State players following the stadium tunnel brawl. The shooting of several Virginia soccer players in November also highlighted the seriousness of the problem. Smith’s charge was reduced to a misdemeanor in a settlement.
And in January, Michigan received a draft notice of allegations of possible NCAA recruiting violations, including a Level I violation against Harbaugh. That same month, offensive coordinator Matt Weiss was fired for “computer access crimes,” which included improperly accessing other people’s computer accounts.
While not all equally serious, these situations continue a pattern of controversy.
Recent years have been a return to glory for Michigan football, with back-to-back college football playoff appearances, Big Ten championships and wins against Ohio State. Though Harbaugh has flirted with the NFL twice in two years — the second notably leading to its president making public statements while Manuel did not — Harbaugh has stayed and the Wolverines could be a favorite this fall be national championship.
However, there continues to be a lack of program and departmental leadership in certain areas, leading to these worrying moments. Harbaugh or Manuel will eventually be publicly questioned about the decision to hire Shemy Schembechler. There is no definite answer as to how and why it happened.
Whether the lack of publicity on Schembechler’s social media was accidental or willful ignorance, either option looks horrific and continues to convey the impression that upholding Bo Schembechler’s legacy is worth any pain and embarrassment that comes with it.
(Top photo of Jim Harbaugh (right) and Michigan AD Warde Manuel: Adam Ruff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)