Extended McDowell Signing Day Drama
According to TomVH on twitter Malik McDowell has yet to sign and send in his LOI. It's been publicized that Malik wants to attend to MSU (and announced State during a ceremony this morning) but his parents (specifically his mother) don't think that MSU is the best place for him. Tom's latest tweet (@TomVH)
"There is definite drama with the Malik McDowell situation. HS coach doesn't know ehn he'll send it (sic) in letter of intent"
I'm a bit torn here. There's obviously something going on with this young man and his family that involves a huge life choice. However, possible SPARTY NO on NSD just after star rankings started to matter?
February 5th, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
I don't think his dad signed the real thing.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:32 PM ^
They did not sign the actually letter of intent on TV. It was a fake. (Actual LOI is like 3 or 4 pages long, and they never sign the actual ones on TV.)
February 5th, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 1:36 PM ^
If Dad signed it, then why didnt he just send it in? I saw somewhere on this board that they didnt even have the real LOI at the ceremony. It was just a sheet of paper with a space for MM and his dad to sign.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:45 PM ^
i have heard he needs both parents to sign it since he is not 18 yet, if he was 18 and living at home only one does, but i believe the rule is both have to, thats why i believe he wasnt smiling at the press conference because he knew his mom would not sign it
February 5th, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
If just dad did it after all the protest from mom that one signature could harm their family dynamic for a really long time.
I don't think we have enough information to be talking in this thread about what they should or should not let him do. Obviously people (even under aged) should be able to activly make or at least be involved in the choices that shape their lives, but there are all sorts of reasons that 17 year olds aren't considered legally independant and 18 year olds who are independant can harm themselves doing things they wouldn't have considered years later.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:09 PM ^
really want a guy who really does not want to be there, regardless of his skills and abilities? I don't see how that would end up good. It's obvious at this point he needs his parents signature to sign, and they are dragging their feet because they do not want him to go to MSU. Not good.
February 5th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^
I would typically agree with you, but I think a player can fall in love with a University. I"m almost postive that Trey Burke would have rather been a Buckeye than a Wolverine when he picked a school. Now he is all Maize and Blue and I and every other Michigan fan is glad that Ohio didn't offer him.
With that said, I think this situation is a State of Michigan problem not a Michigan State problem. I don't care where he ends up. I just care about watching the kids that choose to be Wolverines.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:50 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 1:09 PM ^
What a mess.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 1:17 PM ^
I generally agree, but, how many high school seniors were heart-set on attending Boulder or Arizona State, only to have their parents refuse to allow them (knowing their reasoning wasn't sound)...
Obviously, this situation is very different (considering the No. 1 in-state defensive player wants to play at the nation's No. 1 defense even if "missing class" or party atmosphere is his motiviation); but still, the parents think they are intervening for good reasons.
Unless, of course, it's to get the $250,000 that Urban promised them......
February 5th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 1:12 PM ^
Allegedly his mom kicked him out of the house last night after he made his decision
February 5th, 2014 at 1:14 PM ^
Just curious where you heard this . . .
February 5th, 2014 at 1:47 PM ^
While at Michigan State, according to Malik’s mother, Mark Dantonio approached Malik in an “inappropriate manner” while his mother was not present.
That article makes it sound like Dantonio propositioned him for sex.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:47 PM ^
Indeed. What does that even mean? And why does every post about "what happened at MSU" end up dancing around the issue and giving only bits and pieces of the story?
February 5th, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^
going on here lately. What the hell? We want the full stories, and we want them yesterday! Yesterday, people!!!
February 5th, 2014 at 2:38 PM ^
to see the video of Malik's mother tossing Dantonio out of her house!
February 5th, 2014 at 1:13 PM ^
Coach Dantonio clearly needs to visit the McDowell dinner table and talk to Momma
February 5th, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^
Are you saying that Dantonio has a tattoo of Roy Orbison on his ass?
February 5th, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
What Mama don't know won't hurt her!
February 5th, 2014 at 2:03 PM ^
MARK DANTONIO IS THE DEVIL!
February 5th, 2014 at 1:14 PM ^
All this reminds me that there seems to be a case about once a year of a kid trying to attend one school but parents preventing him from submitting paperwork. Anyone remember recent cases of this and where those guys ended up? I'm always kind of curious who wins out in those struggles, given that the kid literally needs a guardian to sign off on it.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
Floyd Raven ended up at Texas A&M. He was the kid who had his LOI forged and sent to Ole Miss by his mom.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:18 PM ^
Don't know the answer to your question but as far as I'm aware the parents are only able to delay the process a bit. An LOI is not required to receive a scholarship. So he can enroll in the school and receive his scholarship when he's admitted whether he has signed an LOI or not. This is assuming the program has an open scholarship to give of course.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:22 PM ^
I've never really understood why a kid needs a guardian's signature even if they are over 18. But it sounds like he could just enroll at MSU on his own, without parents' permission, and MSU could put him on scholarship in the fall?
Might be what shakes out.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
That's my understanding. I wonder about the 18 thing too doesn't really make sense to me either. I wonder if it's a rule so that they don't have to figure out who is under 18 and who is over 18. Just make it a blanket rule to make it easier on themselves (programs or the NCAA?).
February 5th, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^
The NCAA bylaw says that if a student athlete is under 21 and receiving a scholarship they have to sign to get the financial aid.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:37 PM ^
Interesting, so does that mean even if he is accepted and enrolls at MSU his parents could keep him from getting a scholarship by not signing the paperwork (unlikely but in theory)? That's not how I understood it but I'm probably wrong then if it's in the bylaws.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:39 PM ^
Really? Christ, the NCAA is a weird institution.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:58 PM ^
You dont have to sign a NLI to get financial aid. He could just sign scholarship papers with MSU. the NLI program is voluntary.
February 5th, 2014 at 5:29 PM ^
Your scholarship is a form of financial aid. Signing is not voluntary. They just say that to avoid this being considered a contract. You still have to sign it.
February 5th, 2014 at 6:47 PM ^
You have to sign the financial aid agreement (can't remember if parents have to sign that), but you don't have to sign a letter of intent. I know of 2-3 athletes who didn't ever sign for various reasons.There are two different documents with different purposes.
February 5th, 2014 at 4:44 PM ^
I can tell you this. If he is a dependant for taxes purposes and he is submitting financial aid forms (like the FAFSA) then the custodial parent has to sign.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:26 PM ^
Last year it was Alex Collins' mother refusing to sign his LOI to Arkansas. That case was even weirder, though, since he apparently did not even live with her, and lived with his coach. But she wanted him to go to Miami. I don't know how long it took to get resolved, but it looks like he ended up at Arkansas.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:28 PM ^
That's the one I was trying to remember. I knew it involves someone either trying to go to Arkansas or ending up there.
The kid whose mom forged his paperwork was pretty funny.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:55 PM ^
Alex Collins. His mother wouldnt sign his LOI to Arkansas so he got his father to sign. Mom ended up hiring a lawyer.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:13 PM ^
This might be the most widely known case, his mother is a huge LSU fan and wanted him there, he picked Alabama. He eventually ended up at Alabama.
Note: His brother (Gerold Willis III) had a similar case this year at the UA Game where he picked Florida over LSU.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:14 PM ^
Seriously, what a train wreck of a situation.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:15 PM ^
if it was about a kid wanting to go to LSU, Alabama or some other program known for cutting players? Would his parents be criticized for insisting he go to a school that offers a guaranteed four year scholarship like Michigan or OSU? Either way, it would involve parents trying to look ahead and see what's in their son's best interest?
February 5th, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^
It would be shorter. Otherwise, pretty much the same.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:15 PM ^
The parents need to let the kid go where he wants to go. That being said, this sad, vaguely sleazy melodrama is fitting for Sparty. There's something off about this.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:16 PM ^
Is he not 18 yet? Why would a kid need his parents signature to attend college?
February 5th, 2014 at 1:16 PM ^
And I don't want a kid who doesn't want to be here.
I'm sure he's holding off as his parents are pleading for him to attend OSU or FSU as the compromise to not attending Michigan.
I wish the kid the best, I really do. I hope he and his parents can get on the same page and he goes to college, is productive and gets a degree. But this is OT as far as I'm concerned.
Even if his parents somehow MADE him go to Michigan I wouldn't celebrate. Not knowing that HE doesn't want to be at Michigan.
Sure he's got great tools and great size...but that doesn't mean SHIT on the football field if your heart isn't into it.
My guess is that this drags on for a few days.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
Given all of this, he would be a disruptive element in the locker room and field. Feel bad for the kid, but if I were Brady, would not accept a signed LOI to Michigan.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:54 PM ^
Thank goodness you're not the coach.