WH
The Feagin Reveal
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Feagin told investigators that “when I first started going to (Burke’s) house he had three big jars of weed up in his room. … One day T.J. was talking to me about some illegal stuff. He was under a lot of pressure because of his financial problems.
“I told him that I knew someone who could get him some cocaine. A few days later he asked me if I had talked to the person yet. I called right then and set up a deal.”
Feagin arranged to send $600 to a friend in Florida, whom he identified only as “Tragic.” In exchange, “Tragic” would send an ounce of cocaine to Ann Arbor.
It goes on from there. No cocaine ever showed up, this Burke guy tried to scare/murder Feagin by filling a bottle with gasoline and setting it on fire outside his dorm room, etc, etc, etc. You know, typical college stuff. Except Burke is 26. But whateva, TJ Burke does what he wants, which is apparently spend up to ten years in prison.
Feagin was a last-minute addition to Michigan's first class under Rodriguez when it became clear that Rodriguez wasn't likely to acquire a higher-rated quarterback recruit. He did not work out, obviously. The Freep article dryly notes that Feagin "struggled to learn the playbook" mere paragraphs after describing Feagin's extensive marijuana habit.
The onfield impact of Feagin's departure remains nil; the off-field stuff… well, at least when a Michigan player violates team rules he actually violates them. Woo spin!
But seriously: it's bad. It's also one guy that Michigan apparently didn't run as thorough of a background check on—or possibly any background check on—as they scrambled to reconfigure Rodriguez's first recruiting class. As long as the incident remains isolated, fine. Yes, Kurt Wermers, you get a point, which brings you up to negative four.
August 9th, 2009 at 8:59 PM | 
Wow
Wow
August 9th, 2009 at 10:28 PM |
you do realize
you do realize
that wermers left because he was academically ineligible right?
August 9th, 2009 at 8:59 PM |
Ah yes
Ah yes
The old "fill-a-bottle-with-gasoline-and-light-it-on-fire-outside-someone's-place-of-residence-after-your-prospective-interstate-coke-deal-falls-through" gag. Those were the days
August 9th, 2009 at 9:01 PM |
RR did the right thing, but
RR did the right thing, but
he and his staff gacked this one bigtime during recruiting. Unfortunately, this gives all the Sparties and other RR haters all the ammunition they need to call into question all of the guys he's recruited, regardless of how unfair that is. This is where the broad brush comes into play.
I wonder if Feagin has any idea of what he threw away. What a colossal fuckup.
August 9th, 2009 at 11:08 PM |
That's your takeaway?
That's your takeaway?
That it gives rival fanbases "ammunition"?
...the Canadians make up for it with their emotion and classic ice-dancing skill.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:02 PM |
Can we use those molotov
Can we use those molotov
Can we use those molotov cocktails in the pregame festivities? You know, maybe to punctuate the bass in some Metallica. It'll also create smoke like a machine.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:04 PM |
man
man
RR just can't catch a break
August 9th, 2009 at 9:05 PM |
Jeez.....First page of the board!
Jeez.....First page of the board!
http://mgoblog.com/content/justin-feagin-team-very-good-reason
Not For Serious
Edit: Not funny - NegBang away
August 9th, 2009 at 9:07 PM |
the gasoline bottle stuff is
the gasoline bottle stuff is
the gasoline bottle stuff is pretty ridiculous. What dorm was it and how was it not in the campus news or a DPS alert when this happened? Maybe I missed it?
August 9th, 2009 at 9:13 PM |
It was west quad. They had
It was west quad. They had
It was west quad. They had fliers and stuff up all over the place in MoJo after it happened. Pretty positive they sent out DPS emails too. I think I got one when they caught the dude too.
Here we go:
http://police.umich.edu/?posting_id=67
Caught him:
http://police.umich.edu/?posting_id=68
August 9th, 2009 at 9:16 PM |
waaaaiiit a second. were
waaaaiiit a second. were
waaaaiiit a second. were those 2 events connected? the arson in west quad and justin feagin being kicked off? i guess it makes sense. the dps report said the fire was intended to scare some student but i thought the report said it was actually in front of the wrong door or something
Rudy watches inspirational movies about Shawn Hunwick
August 9th, 2009 at 9:59 PM |
I'm an RA in WQ
I'm an RA in WQ
and this ordeal was quite troublesome and frustrating when it happened, if not frightening. but reading this possible connection has peaked my interest, whether its true or not...kinda like watching a suspense thriller movie.
August 9th, 2009 at 10:28 PM |
Peaked Interest?
Peaked Interest?
August 10th, 2009 at 7:01 AM |
IDTTWMWYTIM
IDTTWMWYTIM
Peaked =/= piqued
not just "douchey" MGoBlog user, but now TRUSTED MGoBlog user
August 10th, 2009 at 11:38 AM |
idk why you were negged for
idk why you were negged for
idk why you were negged for that.... Princess Bride FTW. I +1 you Timmmaaay
August 10th, 2009 at 12:32 PM |
Thanks lunchbox. After what
Thanks lunchbox. After what
Thanks lunchbox. After what happened to Bouje, I don't dare complain about negging anymore.
not just "douchey" MGoBlog user, but now TRUSTED MGoBlog user
August 10th, 2009 at 2:00 AM |
no wayyyy, i remember those
no wayyyy, i remember those
no wayyyy, i remember those now. that's crazy...thanks for the informative post.
August 10th, 2009 at 8:36 AM |
I wonder if the judge will
I wonder if the judge will
I wonder if the judge will take into consideration the horribleness of Mr. Burke's haircut when it comes time for sentencing.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:07 PM |
Good Riddance
Good Riddance
If he was involved with drugs and so on, then good riddance. I'd rather see UM go 0-12 than be turned into some kind of Miami (FL) thuggery-filled nonsense. Reminds me of that one kid - Kellie Baraka? Highly recruited RB, recruited by UM and ND, chose UM then couldn't leave the weed alone.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:35 AM |
To be fair to Baraka, I think
To be fair to Baraka, I think
To be fair to Baraka, I think there is a wide gulf between brokering a cocaine deal and smoking weed.
wolverineliberationarmy.com/blog
August 9th, 2009 at 9:08 PM |
look for spin doctors to come out
look for spin doctors to come out
and say that RR takes bad kids etc....
But really, he kicked the bad kid off the team as soon as he found out about the alleged drug deal.
Jim Tressel, on the other hand...fully recruits a kid from Florida who had an alleged drug deal, and he is still on the team.
So lets nip the spinsters in the bud right away with that comparison.
Strictly business...Not personal.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:13 PM |
If you read the article, you
If you read the article, you
If you read the article, you would have seen that Feagin had issues in high school, too. Either Rodriguez didn't do a very thorough background check...or he did do a background check and failed to care about those character issues. Either way, it's not very flattering for him.
This is Rodriguez's program now. As things move forward, blame and credit deserve to be given to him.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:24 PM |
Indeed.
Face, meet Egg.
Indeed.
Face, meet Egg.
Indeed.
Face, meet Egg.
Arma Virumque Cano
August 10th, 2009 at 1:14 AM |
That depends
That depends
On when the arrest was made, and also assumes they only rely on records -- which you can sure as snot bet they don't.
When did your mother let you out of the basement Mr. Rosenberg?
August 9th, 2009 at 11:31 PM |
maybe not on the background check
maybe not on the background check
If Feagin's arrest were as a minor, then they would not show up in a background check.
August 10th, 2009 at 5:07 AM |
When I say "background
When I say "background
When I say "background check", I don't mean just his credit score or police record. I mean asking his teachers, family, friends, etc. what kind of person he is and if he's ever been in any trouble. The police might not tell Rodriguez that he's been arrested, but I'm sure other people knew.
August 10th, 2009 at 6:42 AM |
And with a Division 1 scholarship on the line
And with a Division 1 scholarship on the line
you think his teachers, family and friends are going to tell all to RR? At the very minimum, they are going to downplay the hell out of any trouble that he has been in. RR can ask all the questions he wants but people don't have to tell him the truth.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:25 AM |
I'm not saying this happened...
I'm not saying this happened...
....but if we take your hypothetical to the extreme, and Coach Rod was lied to by not just people in this situation, but in any situation, I would fully expect that we would never recruit a kid again from the place where teachers would outright lie to the Coach to get a scholarship. There's no need to deal with liars when it's Coach's butt on the line with a $200,000 + scholarship, and there's plenty of other places in the country Coach Rod can recruit to find 24-30 players (including walkons) to play football.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:35 AM |
Absolutely agree
Absolutely agree
this will all go back to his high school coach. I was more talking about the "just talk to his friends and family because they'll tell you the truth about his character."
August 10th, 2009 at 8:17 AM |
a) I'm a teacher, so I'll let
a) I'm a teacher, so I'll let
a) I'm a teacher, so I'll let you in on a little secret: Not all of us are willing to lie to help a douchebag student get ahead. I've seen situations almost identical to Feagin's, and yes, teachers will tell coaches or potential employers exactly what kind of person a student is/was.
b) If everyone's going to lie for a student, then how would a coach ever find out something negative about a player? Do you think that these coaches are completely clueless about a kid's behavior beyond whether they've been arrested or not? That's pretty naive, don't you think?
August 10th, 2009 at 8:42 AM |
All I'm suggesting is that it is possible
All I'm suggesting is that it is possible
You are so quick to denigrate RR because he either failed to a backrgound check or he did a really bad one. What I am suggesting is that there is a third alternative, one that he would have no control over. You can ask all of the questions you want to coaches, family, friends and teachers, that doesn't mean they will tell you the truth. I'm glad you wouldn't lie but are you so sure no others would?
August 10th, 2009 at 8:50 AM |
I'm not sure because it's
I'm not sure because it's
I'm not sure because it's impossible to determine what choices other people will make. But I have a hard time believing that if they asked the right questions to enough people that someone wouldn't let it leak that he had been in pretty serious trouble a couple times. This isn't the mafia we're talking about.
August 10th, 2009 at 8:56 AM |
This is my point
This is my point
You are able to say this definitively:
Either Rodriguez didn't do a very thorough background check...or he did do a background check and failed to care about those character issues. Either way, it's not very flattering for him.
Yet you have no idea what choices other people make.
I would also point out that the teachers, parents, friends, and coaches may let it leak but they would do so in a a way to downplay the actual incident. The point is you can ask all of the right questions to all of the right people, but that doesn't guarantee an answer.
You are so certain of this but I am not.
Why can't you wait and see if more of the story come out before assuming RR is completely to blame. And if it does come out that RR failed to ask the right questions or just didn't care, then I will be there right behind you that RR shares some of this blame.
August 10th, 2009 at 7:55 PM |
I'm confused.
I said that two
I'm confused.
I said that two
I'm confused.
I said that two things are possible...yet you think I'm saying that I know exactly what happened.
August 10th, 2009 at 8:15 PM |
You are able to say definitively
You are able to say definitively
that this RR's fault. He either did a bad job or didn't care. But there is a third option, the people lied to him/covered it up. And as you said, you don't know what the people told him.
August 10th, 2009 at 6:40 PM |
I have a feeling you won't believe him
I have a feeling you won't believe him
but this is RR's statement on the issue:
"Once we found out what he did, we dismissed him. The first time he found out what he did, I dismissed him. That was the first time I found out.
"You research your players, and you want to take good guys. Sometimes in recruiting you research and you don't find anything negative, and it winds up later it was a mistake. Trust me, no coach in America is going to take baggage or a guy they think is a bad guy. We certainly won't, and everything in the recruiting process we heard was all positive. Our dealings here were no negatives until that recent thing, and then it was immediate dismissal."
August 9th, 2009 at 9:13 PM |
this is really messed up.
this is really messed up.
this is really messed up. feagin is an idiot. i hate that this happened.
edit: and yes, i am captain obvious right now.
i only respect other superfans
August 10th, 2009 at 12:56 PM |
nuh uh
nuh uh
nuh uh
August 9th, 2009 at 9:13 PM |
Reyes
Reyes
Sounds like it is probably time for Reyes to go as well, seeing as though he seems to have colluded in this deal between Feagin and "Tragic."
August 9th, 2009 at 9:21 PM |
Kudos to RR for acting on
Kudos to RR for acting on
Kudos to RR for acting on this almost immediately.
Willie Heston - 72 touchdowns; 4 National titles; 43-0-1 record; All-American; Law Degree
August 9th, 2009 at 9:26 PM |
This is not going well...
This is not going well...
Thus far, I've been very forgiving of RR's tenure, but this is a major, major fuck up. I don't care if he kicked him off the team when he found out, because he should have known about it earlier. Add this to the supposed full team meeting about not going to the bars (see the board), and I do have some concerns about his control of the team. This could blow up ugly and only serves to hurt our recruiting effort this year. I wouldn't want to send my kid to a school where teammates sell cocaine and have Molotov cocktails burning down their dorms.
My concern meter has been dialed up a couple points with this.
Do Something. If it works, do more of it. If it doesn't, do something else.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:30 PM |
While I agree with you that
While I agree with you that
While I agree with you that this is certainly bad news (duh), how would Rodriguez have possibly known about it earlier? and what do you propose that he should have done?
he has 85 players on scholarship, he can't babysit all of them. He found out about it and kicked Feagin off the team.
No question, Jim.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:34 PM |
Dude, cocaine use is rampant
Dude, cocaine use is rampant
Dude, cocaine use is rampant at UM. It's probably much less of a problem on the football team than some of the things I saw.
August 9th, 2009 at 9:57 PM |
Cocaine is not rampant at
Cocaine is not rampant at
Cocaine is not rampant at UofM. go to State, it is much more prevalent up there. I only knew a handful of people throughout my entire time at school who used cocaine. I'm not saying people don't do it, but it's not as common as you make it out to be.
i only respect other superfans
August 9th, 2009 at 10:07 PM |
Let me put it this way.
Let me put it this way.
Let me put it this way. Cocaine is expensive. It's much more likely to be used by rich, bored kids at UM than at State. UM also has a large contingency from New York and other places in the east. Trust me, it's more used at UM than State.
Edit: A sorority at Michigan got shut down, in part for making pledges do a line of cocaine to lose weight. So, yeah.
August 9th, 2009 at 10:14 PM |
Which sorority was that?
I
Which sorority was that?
I
Which sorority was that?
I wasn't involved in the drug culture at Michigan - I've never drank, smoked, or done drugs - and even I saw a room full of dudes snorting lines of coke at a party.
August 9th, 2009 at 10:15 PM |
On Hill.
On Hill.
On Hill.
i only respect other superfans
August 10th, 2009 at 10:06 AM |
On a side note, if you're
On a side note, if you're
On a side note, if you're thinking the same house I am, they got reinstated last year FWIW.
I've been called a "hockey valkyrie" by those who don't know me.
Follow the Children of Yost now, worry about how to keep the ladies at bay later: http://twitter.com/#!
August 9th, 2009 at 10:14 PM |
It is a lot bigger at State
It is a lot bigger at State
It is a lot bigger at State (smoke green, snort white came from some truth) or Western. Every time I went to E.L. I saw people doing lines. And in a2, I rarely, rarely ever saw people do it. I know we have a lot of people from NYC and LA, but that doesn't really matter. A lot of in-state students come from money too.
I'm just saying, you make it out to be a big problem on campus and I don't think it is, at all. This was an isolated incident ant not by any means reflective of the general student population.
i only respect other superfans
August 9th, 2009 at 10:22 PM |
Trust me, most of the richer
Trust me, most of the richer
Trust me, most of the richer kids I knew were big into coke. Especially the East Coasters.
When your team is winning, be ready to be tough, because winning can make you soft. On the other hand, when your team is losing, stick by them. Keep believing. -- Bo Schembechler
So it wasn't the dreads that scared Wermers, it was the attempted murder. Hrmph.
Denard's 2010 was spent redefining what one man can do.