Jim Harbaugh Wall Street Journal Credit: The Wall Street Journal
NewspapersBy Ben Axelrod on

With Michigan set to face Alabama in the College Football Playoff semifinal Rose Bowl on Monday evening, the time was ripe for a feature on Jim Harbaugh.

The Wall Street Journal‘s Rachel Bachman, however, took a curious approach in profiling the Wolverines head coach, referring to him as “college football’s unlikely freedom fighter” while comparing him to Che Guevara — complete with artwork portraying Harbaugh as the famous revolutionary.

Bachman’s thesis: Harbaugh is more than just a college football coach vying for his first national championship, but an anti-authority figure who has shaken the establishment through acts such as calling for players to receive revenue sharing. The article even goes on to connect the dots between Harbaugh calling for player empowerment and the multiple NCAA investigations he has faced over the course of the past year.

(It’s also worth noting that Bachman is a Michigan alum.)

While Harbaugh’s cult of personality is certainly worth exploring — even from a pro-Michigan perspective — the comparison to Guevara is flimsy, at best. Sure, Harbaugh has been ahead of the curve on calling for revenue sharing with players. But at the end of the day, he’s merely a college football coach whose real-world impact pales in comparison to Guevara’s.

Even taking aside the questionable decision to compare Harbaugh to such a political figure, the article doesn’t do a strong enough job supporting the idea of him being “college football’s version of Che Guevara.” If every coach with irrational support among his fanbase — especially in times of adversity — is a freedom fighter, then college football is a sport full of them.

Bachman’s headline and the accompanying artwork, which were initially published on Dec. 29, were obviously intended to illicit a reaction. Based on the response on social media, they certainly accomplished just that.

[The Wall Street Journal]

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

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