No signing day press conference for Dantonio
Many people thought that national signing day would be the next (first?) time for Mark Dantonio to hold a press conference since reading his statement at the MSU basketball game two weeks ago, giving reporters the opportunity to ask questions regarding the accusations of mishandling of violence and sexual assault during his tenure with the MSU football program. Dantonio has held a national signing day press conference to introduce the incoming recruits who sign a LOI with MSU every year, including one during the early signing period in December. Instead, MSU released a twitter video welcoming their 1(!) new addition to the class since the early signing period and Dantonio continues to hide from the media. He has yet to answer questions regarding the accusations made against his football program. Not a good look.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:38 PM ^
The fact that Walton wasn't employed by the school (ESPN said he was fired and that the coverup was that they said they had no records when they asked for them of his employment records) Walton was a volunteer. The fact that the bouncer who escorted him out didn't know who he was or if it was him at all. The fact that no one formally reported Walton for any sex assault, it was what a counselor had heard from one of her clients who said they knew some other girl who said she was assaulted, but it ws never reported to authorities. They implied the prosecutor was told by Izzo to drop the case, the prosecutor has now publicly stated that he's never spoken to Izzo in his life.
That article was bullshit and it would have been bullshit if it was written about Michigan too. No matter how much I want it all to be true, it was garbage and not the first time OTL has produced such a shoddy piece.
And the OTL piece did try to makje it seem like Payne agreed with the girl's account and they showed him talking to investigators when they said he said that, the full report is out now, Payne said no such thing. OTL didn't paint it like the police said he said that, they painted it like Payne said it.
I'm just saying, if you're waiting for this to have some big reveal that threatens Izzo or Dantonio's jobs you're going to be waiting forever. The OTL piece has been discredited, the investigations that are starting are about Nassar and will barely touch on Izzo or Dantonio if at all.
Izzo wil take no more real heat. Only thing Dantonio should take heat for is Robertson, he dshould have never brought that kid to campus.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:56 PM ^
Hey great story of your version of the events. And we're still asking for a citation for your claims. I've heard all this stuff in your posts in some variation from Sparty sports nuts for over a week. It's all very dizzying throwing out a tornado of "facts" as they saw them reported, but when pressed to display some citation or any citation of some resource besides the message board ramblings of BurpmeIamaspartan or Izzofordictator247, it never happens.
One thing all the OTL attackers have in common is I have yet to see one which correctly lays out the facts as they were presented in the ESPN story. Their carpet bomb strategy relies on the fact that no one has any time to go watch it over and over again or read the companion article so it's committed to deep memory.
So hit us with that citation(s) of that third party resource, so we can get busy changing our minds. Which I will gladly do.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:17 PM ^
It's on OTL to backup their accusations and lay out their facts. They haven't been able to do so. They didn't even bother to list all of thier supposed accusations. I mean seriously, OTL called an incident where a player got into an argument with his live in g/f and the police came and told them to quiet down one of the sexual assaults. No one was arrested, no one was charged, but that's a sexual assault? They mentioned an accusation from a deceased girl's diary reported to the police by her parents 2 years after they found her diary for an incident that allegedly occured 7 years prior, how was Dantonio supposed to know about that? The accusation abot a victim's parents going to Hollis was third hand and no victim has ever come forward. You can't write a piece like that and then say it's up to the acused to clear their names, the accused already hae as far as the law, Title IX, and the NCAA is concerned.
Hate MSU and I dispise Dantonio, but this article and TV piece was garbage and as proof of that, nothing at all will come of it for MSU save for in relation to Nassar.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:53 PM ^
Huh?
OK we've established by this third request you don't have anything to rely on as authority for the above mess. But more mess.
I'll wait for Graham Couch or Lynn Henning to break the big professionally written version blowing the whole thing up and proving the pureness of both coaches. And wait. And wait.......
February 8th, 2018 at 10:32 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 9:45 AM ^
Despite that, Franklin had a press conference yesterday --- there was also a significant snowstorm in Central PA Wednesday too, for what that's worth (a higher than normal number of reporters called in vs. being there in person).
I'm sure there were other schools that only signed 1 kid yesterday too - I just mention PSU because that's the most top-of-mind example.
Dantonio (assuming MSU is allowing him to do press conferences, that's a possibility here too) --- he needs to man up and answer the questions. Every other coach makes an appearence on signing day.
February 8th, 2018 at 9:51 AM ^
A savvier coach than Dantonio would recognize this as an opportunity to talk about the class as a whole, any new coaches, and the upcoming season. But when you're as negative a person as Dantonio, you probably only focus on the one signee.
Dantonio doesn't do well in stressful environments (outside of the football field, where he's a good in-game coach). But as you say, if you're a head coach you have to put on your big-boy pants and do a press conference. Let the MSU lawyers coach him on how to answer investigation questions (it's not hard - just say that the school is cooperating fully with the investigation, and you have no further comment at this time).
It's just that Mark is not very savvy when he's not on a sideline.
February 8th, 2018 at 8:49 AM ^
Seeing NPF go to OSU really stung. A kid with a former Michigan player as a coach who had Michigan practice for their bowl at his highschool goes to our arch rival. Ouch! Coupled with what seems like a botched coaching/staff plan we seem to be in bad straights.
...and then I look at where MSU is at with all of this sexual assault culture business and I am thankful that we are not them.
February 8th, 2018 at 9:54 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:02 AM ^
he gives up a sack to luiji, he'll regret signing with carl urban.
February 8th, 2018 at 8:52 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 9:10 AM ^
pussy
February 8th, 2018 at 9:13 AM ^
ESPN's story may have included some half-truths, but if MSU tries to declare victory over it on that basis that would be much akin to Tom Hagen (Robert Duvall) shouting "we demand an apology!" at the senators after the inquisition of Michael Corleone fell apart in Godfather II.
February 8th, 2018 at 9:26 AM ^
It very well could be the university telling him, NO PRESS CONFERENCES until we get a handle on this. It's not likely, but definitely possible.
It could also be more possible and more likely that he's a weasel that doesn't want to deal with any meanie reporters...
February 8th, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^
Despite some flaws in the early ESPN report, Mork is an arrogant prick, and parents of kids at MSU should be outraged at the slugs he has brought onto that campus. However, his strategy of "laying in the weeds" has nothing to do with being afraid of reporters. Rather, it is the proven-strategy in today's society of waiting for the next scandal somewhere else to bury his story.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:35 AM ^
Yeah, so.... about that...
Your explanation is certainly more than plausible, but it really doesn't fit my narrative that he's a weasel for being afraid of reporters. And for that reason alone I'm going to reject it.
But, here's an upvote for your effort.
February 8th, 2018 at 9:35 AM ^
It's truly scary to think of the amount of shit he covered up.
We know about a gang rape or two and the player whom he disciplined - the ESPN stuff.
We know he tried to cover up the most recent gang rape involving Corley, by using Blackwell.
Hollis didn't bail over Nassar stuff. He bailed because for years the athletic dept was coving up shit for football and basketball.
We know during a 2 yr period around 2010 there were 37 sexual assault complaints that apparently were all remarkably being funneled back to the Ath Dept.
It will come down to how well MSU covered everything up.
It's coming...
February 8th, 2018 at 2:19 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 2:36 PM ^
Didn't the alledged gang rape occur six or seven years before it was even reported to MSU? All those players would be gone. I'm not sure what Dantonio could do at that point.
February 8th, 2018 at 9:44 AM ^
I know this will conflict with our MGoBlog Ethics(TM), but it's the smartest damn thing they could do. Every time Izzo opens his mouth, word manure falls out. Dantonio, with his "So sorry about the victims. Go SPARTAN NATION" speech isn't much better. So when every time you talk bad things happen, stop talking.
FYI, the above advice works fantastically in relationship disputes as well. When fighting with the wife I find that everything I say is misconstrued or turned against me, I simply stop talking. It works perfectly. Seriously. Trust me on this...
February 8th, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 1:16 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 6:59 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
will invite all the signees to the President's mansion for a ceremony that will be covered by TMZ...
February 8th, 2018 at 10:12 AM ^
Because basketball is in full swing right now, it's hard for Izzo to completely avoid pressers and even questions about what is going on at MSU, but it is far easier for Dantonio to duck the press at the moment, and I am sure that right now Michigan State probably wants as few opportunities as possible for questions to be asked. Not that Dantonio seems like he is much for pressers anyway, but I have to think right now it is part of a strategy by the department in addition to a general aversion.
February 8th, 2018 at 10:17 AM ^
Something like, do everything right and you don't have to worry about FOIA? If the MSU AD's big three for the last decade plus had handled all of these past allegations properly, Dantonio wouldn't have to consider sound legal strategy (avoiding questions) when finalizing a friggin recruiting class. But how dare ESPN?! Right Spartans?
February 8th, 2018 at 10:54 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^
is probably sad about losing porzingod for the year, too distraught to talk about recruits.
Ohh sh**.....Wrong guy.
Who's Mark?
February 8th, 2018 at 11:15 AM ^
Pride comes before the fall , eh Mark ?
February 8th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^
That's a bad look. If nothing's amiss with his football program, as he's claimed, he should be able to face the media.
February 8th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^
I think he's been given a free pass on the Auston Robertson situation. He showed poor judgment by giving that kid a scholarship.
That's why happens when your beat writers are former alumni who also want to beat Michigan more than protect women on college campuses.
February 8th, 2018 at 2:14 PM ^
Despite his history of a HS assault , Harbaugh (among many others) also offered Robertson. In fact, his offer list was very impressive. However, I think there was a 2nd legal situation that caused the kid to end up signing with MSU very late after Singing Day. I've got no problem with a coach giving someone the benefit of the doubt the first time, but after the 2nd situation, I think you pull the offer. This is a clear situation where Dantonio should be held 100% accountable. Parents should be able to send their girls to MSU without worrying about a rapist floating around campus just because he can rush the QB on Saturday afternoon.
February 8th, 2018 at 11:52 AM ^
Was about 12:15 and he was out with some older lady(wife?) behind me in line. I took a picture of him in front of the HOT YOGA place next to the subway...Its kinda funny but I cant figure out how to get it loaded on here. He was all smiles...I was surprised he was out on signing day..Ive never seen him do anything but scowl prior!
February 8th, 2018 at 12:30 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 8:25 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 12:47 PM ^
That's because the guy is a piece of shit coward.
February 8th, 2018 at 1:48 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 2:06 PM ^
Reporter - "Mork, do any of your incoming recruits have a criminal record?"
Mork - "No Comment"
February 8th, 2018 at 2:48 PM ^
Completely baffling.
February 8th, 2018 at 5:46 PM ^
February 8th, 2018 at 7:01 PM ^
February 9th, 2018 at 4:11 AM ^
Jeez. Just when they can't get any more predictably cowardly, they do! It never fails!
Don't look now, Dantonio's fall camp is about to make Harbaugh's submarine look like an invitation to the media in comparison.
I hope that coward's career burns down like the scary leadership we have seen at that same university. Makes me disgraced to be linguistically and geographically associated with them.