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 1:04 PM ^
This kid is starting out his college life in a hole either way. Goes to MSU, parents are upset - might be a while before they get over it. Goes to anywhere but MSU and his teammates know that he really wanted to be somewhere else.
Either way, I don't care. If we somehow land this kid, great. Hope he isn't a cancer to the team.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:24 PM ^
It's a tough family decision and its unfortunate it has to play out in a fishbowl like NSD. I hope they work it out.
That being said, it's kinda funny now for Sparty, who has been feeling his oats and has become downright cocky of late, to have this bigtime spotlight on this boner recruit whose parents don't want him to go to State because State, you know, sucks.
Personally I just think East Lansing is a dump and I don't know how they sell it to anyone. And the stadium makes the old Veterans Stadium in Philly look an architectural jewel. Put in about 50 years of sustained, internationally-recognized excellence in all phases and one day you might shake that burdensome cloak of mediocrity, greenies.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:52 PM ^
While I am not a fan of the stadium, or the team, I think East Lansing is a nice city and a beautiful campus. May not have the size, culture and history of Ann Arbor but it is a very nice, green (plant life not school colors), sprawling campus.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:57 PM ^
Doesn't have the size of UM? In terms of what?
February 5th, 2014 at 2:39 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 12:19 AM ^
...that campus is giant. The Equine Tuburculosis research facility alone is the size of Central Campus.
February 6th, 2014 at 8:59 AM ^
The Sheep Teaching and Research Institute.
Which begs the question: what, exactly, are they teaching the sheep in East Lansing?
February 6th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ^
to relax and push out a bit
February 6th, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^
If you're gonna go there, go in with both feet.
The comment. I mean the comment.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:15 PM ^
when a golf course impregnates a strip mall. The only reason to travel there is FBC.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:48 PM ^
See, I thought MSU's campus was just kind of meh. Maybe it was just the part I tended to hang around, but it always felt really flat with a crappy little river going through one corner. It is "green", but I very much preferred UM's campus.
February 5th, 2014 at 5:18 PM ^
To me, every time I'm on MSU's campus, it feels like I'm in a compound, sort like a prison compound (no joke). Seriously, when I'm there I look forward to getting to Grand River so I can feel free again.
February 5th, 2014 at 10:58 PM ^
I'm betting you've never been to MSU's campus.
February 5th, 2014 at 3:11 PM ^
MSU's campus is literally Michigan's North Campus in appearance. Everything is so spread out and there are huge plots of grass everywhere. You're always so far away from everything: 10 minute walk to most places in AA vs. 45 minute walks in East Lansing...can't imagine how that sounds attractive.
February 5th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
so that sounds okay to me.
February 5th, 2014 at 3:35 PM ^
North Campus doesn't even feel that spread out compared to MSU's campus. When I was at the law school there, I remember running around that campus and almost getting lost because of its sameness.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:26 PM ^
I didn't like the campus when I visited (it was to big), but it's still a pretty darn good school. May not be near the academic quality of Michigan, but your still going to get a top 100 education from it. This is a shocker, but you don't have to have a Michigan degree to find a pretty successful career.
Also no stadium was as bad as Veterans.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:40 PM ^
It's going to be just like when Adam Banks had to leave the Hawks for the Ducks
February 5th, 2014 at 2:39 PM ^
"I woke up, and the pain was gone"
February 5th, 2014 at 5:03 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 9:17 AM ^
Did Chris Speilman start off in a hole ? If you were to ask him, he'd tell you hes glad his dad did what he did.
Incredible how people here are feeling sorry for the same recruit that'll end up hurting our program.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
Well if I remember correctly parents have to sign the LOI if they don't sign he's SOL. Of course that can't really stop him from enrolling and attending MSU. I'm sure MSU will hold a spot for him whether they get a signed LOI or not.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
I think all he has to get is one of his parents signatures and I read somewhere about his dad willing to sign.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:33 PM ^
That may be true. His dad is a brave brave man if he's willing to sign over his wife's objections.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:41 PM ^
His parents are divorced and there maybe a custody thing going on here. Who can sign the LOI?
February 5th, 2014 at 1:50 PM ^
Oops, don't know why I assumed this parents are still married (or ever were married for that matter).
February 5th, 2014 at 1:51 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
I feel bad for him. He doesn't deserve this.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:11 PM ^
Which part, the family drama or going to MSU?
February 5th, 2014 at 1:21 PM ^
Bazinga.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
Maybe Mom is Mad because the staff sent the poor kid a Ski Mask..
February 5th, 2014 at 3:03 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^
I dont feel bad for a guy who could really hurt OUR program, by spurning us in a very public fashion, for msu, who is trying to knock us down.... sure, he can do what he wants, and so can i.. he is hurting our program by this nonsense.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
How dare he.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:01 PM ^
McDowell isn't hurting Michigan in the least. OTOH, the drama is making Sparty look like an inferior school where the three main educational priorities are:
1. Hate MIchigan
2. Party.
3. Burn Couches.
Which is actually quite fair...
February 5th, 2014 at 2:13 PM ^
You need to grow up, man.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^
February 6th, 2014 at 9:38 AM ^
you're one of those guys who tweets recruits, aren't you. I can just tell by the tone of your posts. You probably tweeted the same thing to MM "YOU'RE HURTING OUR PROGRAM, I HOPE YOU BREAK A LEG!" Give the kid a break!
February 6th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
It's amazing that you're on here lecturing people about tweeting at recruits when you went out of your way—even contacting U-M Compliance—in an attempt to prove that people who aren't technically boosters are allowed to contact prospects.
February 5th, 2014 at 2:51 PM ^
Yeah, this isn't good for anyone. He might be making a decision that doesn't work out in the end, but he should be able to make this decision without a media circus surrounding him.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:08 PM ^
Given the drama that he has been going through, it Ssounds like Hawai'i may be the best place for him to play his college football...
February 5th, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 2:29 PM ^
Norm Chow is going to get fired pretty soon. At this point he might as well become Morman, and move into the mountains at BYU
February 5th, 2014 at 1:07 PM ^
Sounds like mom needs to let go.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^
February 5th, 2014 at 2:31 PM ^
According to SI, his parents overheard MSU players telling Malik they never had to go to class
February 5th, 2014 at 2:45 PM ^
Very interesting . . . another UNC situation? The media might want to look into this further.
February 5th, 2014 at 4:00 PM ^
Maybe the Freep has a story they can investigate that has some substance.
February 5th, 2014 at 1:10 PM ^