Hoke Statement On Morris
For what it's worth:
“The safety of our student-athletes is always our top priority. We generally never discuss the specifics of a student-athlete's medical care, but Shane Morris was removed from yesterday's game against Minnesota after further aggravating an injury to his leg that he sustained earlier in the contest. He was evaluated by our experienced athletic trainers and team physicians, and we're confident proper medical decisions were made.
The University of Michigan has a distinguished group of Certified Athletic Trainers and team physicians who are responsible for determining whether or not a player is physically able to play. Our coaches have no influence or authority to make determinations if or when an injured player returns to competition. The health and welfare of our student-athletes is and will continue to be a top priority.”
September 28th, 2014 at 9:09 PM ^
September 28th, 2014 at 10:56 PM ^
Is it me or has he become the new Charlie Weis.
Give me all your stars, i will do nothing with them hahaha.
What a sad time we are in.
September 29th, 2014 at 7:27 AM ^
September 28th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
what about your statement that Shane was tough and wanted back in there.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:13 PM ^
Nothing is what it's worth. Absolutely nothing.
EDIT: Well, other than that the University is having lawyers write "Hoke's" response, which implicates Brandon further.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:50 PM ^
September 28th, 2014 at 10:16 PM ^
There's a "This isn't 'Nam!" joke waiting to be made here. Maybe that's it.
But still, this isn't 'Nam.
EDIT: Or was that song Kent State? Either way it's not that either.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
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September 28th, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^
They are not mentioning his blow to the head intentionally. From a legal perspective, it makes sense. By saying nothing, there is nothing that will contradict what close to a hundred thousand saw at the Big House as well as probably a million fans who saw the hit on TV. You can bet that the statement that was issued was carefully reviewed by counsel.
The clusterfuck that was created yesterday isn't going away any time soon.
September 28th, 2014 at 10:15 PM ^
Based on that statement, if I was the press the first question I would ask is:
Did the medical staff do a concussion evaluation on Shane Morris based on the symptoms that he was displaying on the field?
If so, who performed the evaluation and what was the result of that evaluation?
If they come back and say that they did and he was cleared? Then I would have to assume he is fine.
If they respond that an evaluation did not happen immediately after the hit or shortly there after, then they have real problems explaining how this situation was handled.
If they say that he was evaluated and he has a concussion then it is over for this coach and staff.
The only answer they could have come out with that would make this go away, was he had an evaluation and was cleared. Any other answer (like this one) just serves to fuel more speculation. Especially, a statement as carefully worded as this one that feels like something that went through legal.
We will see!
September 29th, 2014 at 7:57 AM ^
Is how was he assessed for a concussion and subsequently cleared of having one, quickly enough for him to be reinserted when Devin's helmet came off. He clearly states in that release that it isn't the coaches decision to reinsert an injured player, but that of the medical staff. So how did they assess Morris for a consussion AND an issue with his leg, and get that information to Hoke in time to put him in the game when Gardner's helmet got knowed off. That would have to be the sequence of events because Hoke evidently doesn't have the authority to put a player back into the game after injury until cleared by the medical staff.
Until now I didn't think this issue was quite as big as many people, but now he (with the help of the university) is outright lying and that pisses me off even more. I would bet that the medical staff have more in the way of ethics than the rest of the athletic department so maybe someone should get them on the record to see if they really did assess Morris for a concussion. I don't think loyalty to UM will be enough to trump losing their medical license (or other disciplinary action) if they were found to be lying. I mean, they can get a job anywhere but Hoke has tons to lose. No one is going to hire this guy to coach football ever again, so if he loses this job, that's it for him.
September 28th, 2014 at 11:09 PM ^
I sure hope a million people weren't still watching the game at that point.
September 28th, 2014 at 11:29 PM ^
With any luck, legal counsel also told the university that they could consider firing Hoke a subsequent remedial measure that would not be admissible to prove negligence or culpable conduct.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:50 PM ^
Yeah. This really made things worse. As bad as the situation was, if there was some kind of sincere apology I would have felt better. But you say the guy was taken out of the game because of his leg? And nothing about him receiving diagnosis for a possible concussion? Unbelievable.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:10 PM ^
September 28th, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^
Sadly, I'm afraid you're right.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:25 PM ^
Concur.
September 29th, 2014 at 7:58 AM ^
This is the David Brandon modus operandi. Stonewall and whitewash until the media shitstorm subsides or people forget. He doesn't know how to apologize or show regret in any form.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
don't think he's realized that Shane might have been concussed. This is the absolute pinnacle of incompetence. I'm stunned, but shouldn't be.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^
If that's the case, then everyone on the staff is just as guilty as Hoke. Certainly there are people in the locker room aware of what happened and how bad it was. If Hoke is really this ignorant, someone needs to tell him what the real problem is ASAP.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:12 PM ^
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September 28th, 2014 at 9:16 PM ^
Looks like they are in full CYA mode and not a mention of any concussion symptoms. All of the focus of the statement is on the leg!
Does not instill much confidence in the staff as they try to deflect responsibility from Hoke for the handling of the situation.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:31 PM ^
The whole point of focusing on the leg injury, I think, is their way of saying "this is not a concussion thing."
September 28th, 2014 at 9:56 PM ^
No it's there way of avoiding the concussion discussion altogether. If he wasn't evaluated for a concussion, it would be inexcusable based on what we all saw on the field after the hit. If they did evaluate him and he didn't have a concussion you would indicate that he was cleared and does not have a concussion.
This statement makes me more suspect of them because if they actually come out and say he has a concussion they are DONE based on how they handled the situation! If he doesn't have a concussion, you could say based on a review, he was given a concussion evaluation and cleared. End of story!
My belief is there is more to this story. Let's see what comes out in the days to come!
September 28th, 2014 at 11:27 PM ^
Leaning the truth about coaching and safety!
September 28th, 2014 at 9:58 PM ^
If it is their way of saying that this is not a concussion thing, then say we evaluated him and cleared him of a concussion. End of story, why so cagey in the response!
September 28th, 2014 at 10:11 PM ^
Because lawyers and liability.
September 29th, 2014 at 2:13 AM ^
If he was evaluated and found not to have a concussion, the lawyers wouldn't have any problem saying that, and that would be a far more effective message. The only reason they wouldn't say it is if it wasn't true. Instead we get this carefully worded statement that tries to make it all about the leg with confirming or denying the real issue at hand.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^
one of the marks of the Brandon Administration is the corporate hollowness of their notes... this note is a perfect example!
September 28th, 2014 at 10:47 PM ^
It does not even sound like something Brady Hoke would say. It sounds more like a note that captors hand to a hostage and say "read this".
September 28th, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
Crock.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
So his health was of their utmost priority, but they put him back into the game, after being pulled for his health, when Gardner lost his helmet......makes sense to me. TERRIBLE!!!!
September 28th, 2014 at 9:14 PM ^
Not a single word of this was written by Hoke, there is no doubt in my mind about that.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^
most of those words are to big for Hoke.
September 29th, 2014 at 12:04 AM ^
just sayin
September 28th, 2014 at 9:25 PM ^
The part reminding you that they don't talk about injuries came straight from Hoke!
/s
September 28th, 2014 at 9:26 PM ^
September 29th, 2014 at 9:11 AM ^
Very obviously. I would love for this to get brought up again in a press conference and try to hear him echo these thoughts
September 28th, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^
On my Twitter feed, someone re-tweeted the @CoachDaveBrandonAD account, which said, "I assume this statement addresses all concerns and we can put this issue to rest," and then pasted in the statement from a smartphone screenshot.
So, I don't follow @CoachDaveBrandonAD. Assuming this is really Dave Brandon, a) what a tool to put Coach in his name, and b) holy stuffed crust that is one arrogant sentence to type in before your statement.
Also, this does indeed signify, to me at least, that there's no way Hoke is getting fired tomorrow. Sigh.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:16 PM ^
That's a parody account. Which as Ace pointed out, can't write much better parody than just copying and pasting University press releases.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:18 PM ^
It's a parody account. Brandon's actual twitter is @DaveBrandonAD and he hasn't said a word about the football program in weeks.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:19 PM ^
September 28th, 2014 at 9:22 PM ^
I was wondering. The fact that it's a parody, but I still had to wonder, just shows where my opinion of Brandon is, I suppose.
September 28th, 2014 at 9:33 PM ^
September 28th, 2014 at 9:35 PM ^
Dave Brandon may be a lot of things but he's not stupid enough to call himself "Coach."
September 28th, 2014 at 9:17 PM ^
The Athletic Department, at least it's marketing/media relations wing, has basically burst into flames over the last 10 days. That statement is so wildely tone deaf that Michigan athletics is embarrassing the university.
It's time for the president, with guidance from the regents, to step in. It's obvious that Hoke is in way over his head and Brandon doesn't know how to resolve the situation.
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