College football rosters are full of young men still learning how to become adults, and sometimes that's the same case with those in charge of the football programs for which they play.
You may remember earlier this month that NJ.com -- or more specifically, NJ Advance Media -- had to file a FOIA request just to get a copy of Michigan's football roster. The site was doing a story on players from the state of New Jersey that were currently on Big Ten rosters, and Michigan doesn't list its roster on its website like every other Big Ten school -- and frankly, every other team in the nation.
Well, you're not going to believe this, but rather than just share a copy of its roster, Jim Harbaugh and Michigan have decided to play keep away instead.
From NJ.com's latest on this saga :
The ridiculous response from Michigan was to delay for nearly two weeks and then claim: "There is no responsive document."
Obviously, Michigan was jerking us around. The NCAA caps training camp rosters at 105 players and each school's NCAA compliance office tracks the roster at all times for eligibility purposes.
When the transparent attempt to skirt the FOIA rules on the exact loophole predicted was pointed out, Michigan's reply: Give us another week or so. We'll see if we have such a document.
Isn't it all so stupid?
I'm not sure what advantage Jim Harbaugh thinks he's gaining by not putting up a current roster of players on the website, but he believes there is one. Or maybe he's being stubborn and petulant; I don't know.
What I do know is that this is all good news for NJ.com because Harbaugh's obstinance is doing a lot more for it traffic-wise than it would have otherwise received from its other story.
I mean, you tell me. Which story do you think would have received more attention: a list of Big Ten players born in New Jersey or a story about the adults in Michigan's athletic department acting like children?
Considering you're reading this story -- and I'm writing it! -- I think we both know the answer.
