As they say in Ann Arbor, those who stay will be champions. And in Jim Harbaugh’s case, apparently those who leave will take victory laps.
On Tuesday night, the Los Angeles Chargers posted a hype video to social media to celebrate the start of training camp at their new team facility. And in one clip, the new Chargers’ head coach can be heard reading a line that would likely be familiar to anyone who followed his tenure as Michigan’s head coach.
“Welcome to the 2024 Chargers locker room, your football home. We want to compliment all who have earned the opportunity to get here, to recognize the journey traveled, to now be playing at the highest level of football,” Harbaugh says in the video. “None here were born on third base, but rather had to work your way to first, then second, then third.”
sincerely, coach harbaugh pic.twitter.com/IXmJP3k3Fw
— Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 24, 2024
If you’ve heard Harbaugh reference being born on third base before, you’re likely a college football fan — or more specifically, an Ohio State fan. After all, that was the same analogy the former NFL quarterback used in his postgame press conference following Michigan’s victory over the Buckeyes in 2021, which many perceived to be a not-so-subtle dig at Ohio State head coach Ryan Day.
“A lot of people that are standing on third base think they’ve hit a triple,” Harbaugh following what marked the Wolverines’ first win against the Buckeyes since 2011.
Harbaugh refuses to call out any of the bulletin board material said. But does say: “Sometimes people stand on third base and think they hit a triple.” pic.twitter.com/D6n7Mr2dzN
— Isaiah Hole (@isaiahhole) November 27, 2021
Harbaugh later confirmed that the comment was, in fact, a “counterpunch” to Day, who had reportedly told his team he wanted to “hang 100” on Michigan.
This isn’t the first time the national championship-winning head coach has referenced “third base” since becoming the head coach of the Chargers this past offseason. So either Harbaugh is making a habit of taking repeated shots at Day — who hasn’t beaten Michigan since 2019 — or this is just one of his favorite sayings.
Considering the heated nature of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, it’s most likely a combination of the two.
[Chargers]
