Last week we talked about the stories out of Michigan that said Western Michigan had contacted the Minnesota Golden Gophers with allegations of improper contact between P.J. Fleck and an unknown player (believed to be former WMU linebacker Robert Spillane). In the last 24 hours we’ve learned the outcome of those communications (via Joe C of the STrib):

The University of Minnesota is planning to self-report a minor NCAA violation related to P.J. Fleck’s contact with one of his former players, athletics department spokesman Jake Ricker confirmed Tuesday.

Athletic director Mark Coyle has spoken with Western Michigan AD Kathy Beauregard to reassure her that Fleck isn’t recruiting his former players, Ricker confirmed.

“From my understanding, even if a coach sends a former student-athlete a text that even says ‘happy birthday,’ that’s a violation,” Coyle told the St. Paul Pioneer Press, which first reported news of the minor violation.

Ricker said Coyle would have no further comment.

We have no idea what the contact was, but ultimately it doesn’t matter. It’s a single secondary violation. That’s one more secondary violation then you want but it’s still the same category that giving your football players cream cheese with their morning bagel used to be in.

Is this a big deal yet?

Still a big nope.

You made some predictions about this before, how’d those turn out?

You mean this?

If the allegations were proven true, this would be a minor secondary violation. Minnesota would self report it to the NCAA, Coach Fleck would get a stern talking to from Coyle, Reusse would do Reusse things on Twitter, Western Michigan fans would act smug, and a month later everyone except the WMU fans and Reusse will have moved on.

1) If the allegations were proven true, this would be a minor secondary violation. Yep, got that right.

2) Minnesota would self report it to the NCAA, Coach Fleck would get a stern talking to from Coyle. The first part definitely just happened. Who knows about the second part; the dept seems pretty nonplussed relaxed about this.

3) Reusse would do Reusse things on Twitter, Western Michigan fans would act smug. Don’t really know about WMU fans (smugness and outrage seem like a reasonable assumption though) but Reusse is kind enough to grace the world with his brilliance on Twitter so...

Pretty sure laughably bad trolling counts as Reusse doing Reusse things on Twitter.

4) A month later everyone except the WMU fans and Reusse will have moved on. Anyone want to bet against me?

Thought not.

TL;DR

Minnesota is reporting a secondary violation and it is not a big deal, Pat Reusse likes trolling on Twitter, the sky is still blue.