An Interview With Demar Dorsey
[Editor's note: Somehow this video featuring Dorsey's been on Youtube since March and no one noticed it. It's a profile put together by LifeSkills, an "alternative high school opportunity for at-risk and drop-out youth providing a unique academic model and a proven record of success." It's one of a few promotional videos put together by the company (another couple feature folks who aren't athletes) and should be viewed with that in mind.
Anyway:
On to Tom.]
As everyone knows, Demar Dorsey's situation with Michigan is in limbo. I was granted an interview with Demar. Since he and his family have been refusing to talk to the media I promised Demar that this interview would be a simple Q&A to leave no room for interpretation.
TOM: Do you read everything that's been in the media about you?
DEMAR: Yeah, I've seen most of the articles. The media didn't really make me upset, because I know the truth about me. It made my parents upset, because once I announced I was going to Michigan, that's when all these articles started coming out. I had to change my number, so no one could get a hold of me.
TOM: That's pretty big for a football recruit to have to go through that. What kind of affect did that have on you and your family?
DEMAR: We just got together and said don't let anything affect you, and just move on. I've been trying to do everything I can to move forward.
TOM: Have those reports affected your perception of Michigan, or its fans?
DEMAR: No, I chose Michigan for a reason, and I would love to be up there. Everybody is always telling me how much they want me up there, and that they're supporting me. My cousin, Denard [Robinson], has been telling me how much love they're showing me.
TOM: So, where are you at with Michigan?
DEMAR: Right now, I'm still signed under my letter of intent, so I can't do anything yet until I hear back from them. They told me that they don't think I can get in with admissions about two weeks ago, or a week ago, but they weren't sure. They had been checking on my grades earlier in the year, and I was on top of it. When I got home one day, my parents said that they were sending back my letter of intent. They were sending me a release form. I'm not sure what that means, or if it means I'm officially not in. I think because I signed a letter of intent, if I wanted to open up my recruitment, I would have to send that back to them. If I can't get in from the admissions, then I have to send that back. My mom said we need to do that, so we have to send it out tomorrow, and we'll go from there. I have the ACT score, and I have the core, so we're just waiting to hear what happens. I haven't heard anything from the coaches yet.
TOM: What's next from here? What do you do if you can't get in to Michigan?
DEMAR: If I can't get in, I'll re-open my recruitment. I have a couple schools that I'm thinking of, I don't want to name names yet. I'll just wait to see what happens.
This just sucks. Admissions really fucked this one up. This kid does not deserve what he has been through in the last 6 months. I don't even know what to say. I almost want to cry. Shit
Working in a UM Office, I can tell you that Admissions is one of the bitchier groups of people out there that I have had to work with. Part of it is just the nature of the job, but yeah...
I've worked very closely with Admissions for over 10 years. And I used to be an admissions professional (not at U-M).
I kind of feel for them. They make decisions they kill lambasted for (by families, by parents, by legislators, etc), and they can't explain or defend them--even when they are legitimate-- because of privacy concerns.
I am sorry they've been bitchy to your office. IMO, U-M has a real problem with that across campus (not just Admissions).
Admissions tend to be huge U-M football fans, not that anyone here would probably take my word for it.
At every university I've worked with (note: "with" not "for", so caveat etc), the interdepartmental relationships have been a real mess. ENORMOUS amounts of internal politics.
Almost as bad as a hospital system...
This whole thing is despicable. Just let the kid play already.
My heart hurts, this is killing me. We need this kid and i just dont understand what the hold up is. I really hope admissions decides to take him, cause i just cant take anymore crap.
let this young man in! If I were Rich I'd be pounding the floor in front of whomever holds the responsibility for this matter.
Win or lose, I hope like hell Rich is personally seeing this through to the bittier fucking end. I'd be damn disappointed if he wasn't.
Hmmmm.
Er...sorry. Pretend I'm not here.
If they haven't called him, it's because they can't as long as the admissions decision is pending.
I'm confused as to whether Demar actually has his release form yet?
was he has the papers for the release. Once he signs them and sends them back, he's released.
At this point it doesn't really matter how badly we need him on the team. The kid has been through so much the last 6 months, and he surely doesn't deserve any of it. You have to admire how he's dealing with all of this. He's obviously worked his ass off to qualify, and to take that away from him just isn't right. If he's denied admission, it will be the first time I've ever been even slightly ashamed to be a Michigan fan. Best of luck, Demar.
Your tagline is perfect.
If this goes down Michigan deserves every piece of bad press they get from it. I wonder what is going through Rodriguez's mind about all of this; I wouldn't blame him if he finishes this season and says "thanks for the opportunity", regardless of the outcome of the season. By all accounts he did his job. He pushed the envelope to make the team better and got clearance before extending the offer. Now the University is reneging on its commitment. Nice integrity.
We look like clowns and no one can blame RichRod this time. Coleman should take action to make sure this never happens again.
Our rivals are using this against us on any recruit that is a question mark qualifications wise. We just keep slippin into the abyss...
Rich has got to finish big to be able to get the payout necessary from another school to move on.
But I think you're on the right track. This really impacts recruiting, as well as Rich's recruiting strategy. It creates another opportunity for negative recruiting by our competition, and forces the coaching staff to find the best recruits with better grades. (My assumption here is that is harder to do. At the very least it narrows the pool of available talent.)
The Freep hasn't spoken on this yet. I'd say there's a decent (ha) chance that they'll blame Rodriguez. Link whores...
This hurts me to say this - but UM will not see any more of my $$ if they do not let him in.
is that he says he hasn't heard from the coaches. Maybe he was told to say that by the coaches so the impression of back-room admissions/coaches/AD/MSC dealings aren't in public (which we all hope are going on). But if that isn't the case, the coaches should either A) Tell him he isn't getting in, apologize and wish him best of luck OR b) Tell him to hold tight and that they are fighting for him right now.
I go to bed this evening still hoping that his, "If I don't get in ...." and "I'm waiting to hear back." and "If I can't get in from admissions....", ring true and we are all kicking ourselves in a couple of days for wasting our time and energy worrying over more miscommunications and bad reporting.
I feel for this kid. Seems like he is headed in the right direction, has a stable family and trying to improve himself and has gotten his grades/scores up. I think that is exactly the kind of person that deserves at opportunity.
Whatever goodwill RR has nurtured in Florida will be vaporized due to the rejection of admission of one recruit.
I believe Michigan's entering freshman class is around 5500 students. I would guess that maybe 20 kids per year(football, basketball, and hockey)are true borderline cases. That is less than 1/2 of a percent.
And as Brian has stated many times, the football program pays for the cost of education for all of its scholarship players. They actually give money back to the university with their football surplus.
My question to David Brandon and Mary Sue Coleman: how is the university being "shortchanged" if they admit Demar? And, how can you possibly expect to compete against the likes of Florida, Alabama, USC, Texas, and Ohio State when you pull this nonsense?
we weren't such a great academic institution and were more like Florida, Alabama, USC, Texas, and Ohio State? (sarcasm intended)
USC is a great academic institution...
Florida and Texas aren't bad either. (At least on par with USC.)
This is from the Life Skills website:
"LifeSkills was founded to assist students whose needs might not be met by traditional public schools. We offer a second chance to students of high school age who have dropped out or are at risk of dropping out of the traditional high school setting. At LifeSkills, we understand our students left the traditional high school setting because they did not feel challenged by a traditional program, believed that they just did not “fit in,” or simply did not have time to attend all day classes."
1. Was DD still enrolled in Boyd Anderson, or was he enrolled in Life Skills?
2. Is there a chance the problem is rooted in UM Admission's negative assessment of the credentials of Life Skills-based schoolwork, and grades therefrom?
3. If DD—or anybody else—had "dropped out or is at risk of dropping out," wouldn't that mean that their academic progress was at risk of being insufficient for admission?
It says in the video that he enrolled at Life Skills in October of last year, which would mean that UM and the coaching staff knew that he was there. So if that is the reason, he's still getting shafted big time. This is just a shitty situation no matter how you look at it.
While I agree that the communication between admissions and the coaching staff may have been severely screwed up, I wonder if there are legitimate concerns about grades earned at LifeSkills. I'd like to see Dorsey get in, not least because he seems to have done the best he could, but if there is concern that this could become a bigger problem for the program down the road ... maybe we shouldn't completely crucify admissions just yet.
It's still a University above all else, right?
It doesn't make any sense to me that they would send Demar a release from the letter of intent if they planned to allow Demar in.
Somebody owes Demar an apology.
I still can't make heads or tails of it. Sounds like someone at admissions spoke to his parents and said we are sending you a release form for your LOI, but he hasn't received it. You'd also think he would get a letter saying, "You are not accepted." to be all official and the like IF there was a final decision. Otherwise, it might be someone in admissions acting before they speak to the coaches, etc. Or his parents misunderstood the phone call. Or he isn't admitted and just doesn't want to say so until he gets his other opportunities lined up. Or, Or, Or, Or.
I hope he gets 10 Ints a year and wins the Nobel Prize while a student at UofM.
man this just makes me sad
Such a shame. Really wish this kid the best of luck wherever he goes. Hope it's UM, but at this point...
He's getting shafted big time. It's disgraceful the way things have been handled.
It has got to be extremely difficult and hard for a kid who just celebrated HS graduation and is looking forward to starting his new life at a great university to be in limbo. Just think waiting until June or July to find out if you got into the college of your choice. Your whole life it seems is on hold. I would be extremely pissed and it would be difficult to hold it back. Given the circumstances, I respect his demeanor and his attitude. His parents must be heart broken.
Watching that video really gets me fired up about how the media treated him. This isn't some tough nose cocky kid that refuses to understand his faults. He seemed very genuine and grateful to have an opportunity to change his life around. I would like to see the University of Michigan extend that same opportunity to allow him continued success. Based on his reported GPA and ACT scores, he probably wouldn't be admitted under normal circumstances, but I'm fairly positive that the athletic department has flexibility to bring in guys that typically wouldn't make the gen pop requirements under some type of probation.
What is there really to lose in this situation? If he succeeds its a great story for everyone. If he fails then it wasn't for the lack of trying. To give up on this kid now is just a disservice to everyone involved. Academics isn't about where you are now... its about where you are going. If Michigan hadn't given me a second chance I wouldn't have lasted past the first semester. I'm grateful they extended me the courtesy to redeem myself. Lets hope UofM admissions can find a way to give this kid a chance to prove himself good or bad.
From my talks with someone who worked in Admissions during the Carr regime the Athletic Department could essentially "vouch" for a kid on character issues and would get the OK from admissions. Basically, Admissions would not knock a kid out due to behavior/character issues if the Athletic Department was behind him.
They were more strict when it came to grades/test scores (it was higher than the minimum required, but not significantly higher), but tried to get everyone admitted.
I wasn't going to say anything about all this stuff until it was over and we knew the truth (because there is always more to the story), but, honestly, my feelings are kinda hurt on this one. I can get over the frustration of all the losses and stuff like that, but this one bothers me. What bothers me the most is that he is stuck in limbo on what is going on and he has not heard from the coaches. This kid just made one of the biggest decisions in his life and went through fucking hell for it. I understand the mistakes he has made in his past but we all have done some dumb shit and the the only difference is that most of us did not get caught. If he does not meet academic standards, then that is on him. However, if this is really over his past, I am going to be really disappointed in the "morals" of this institution because everyone deserves a second chance and/or the benefit of the doubt.
Good luck Demar whether you play for UofM or not. After all of this, I will be rooting for him no matter where he is. This is just some crazy bullshit to put a 18 year old kid through.
I know this is mostly redundant but I wanted my epinion out there to show Demar that he has a lot of support from a lot of people out here.
this is a huge story and you laid it right down for Demar. Thanks.
I feel for his parents as well. I'm thinking that someone didn't see his athletic scholarship in admissions. This kid is a gifted athlete who has earned a shot at redemption for previous mistakes. Michigan was lucky to get his commitment. He's destined for greatness.
What a colossal lack of class on Michigan's part. Dave Brandon...shame on you for not getting on the phone and resolving this. This is extremely damaging to Michigan athletics in the long term. I hope this gets worked out and soon. If I was RR and this happened after all the crap...I'd be beside myself. It hurts the team. It hurts the kid.
I have read and heard all the hoopla...I refrained from checking in on it since there really wasn't anything definitive..but this is straight from the source. I am ashamed of my alma mater.
call me crazy but i don't think M wants to let him in not only because of his grades but they are prolly afraid of his image--gold teeth and dreads--becoming the face of M football. not that i think a haircut and pearly whites would guarantee him entry, but i'm just saying for a player on the fence, everything little detail matters to mary sue and gang.
good luck DD, i'm rooting for you.
So you're saying it's not at all about personality, but rather about looks?
accidently posted again
what i meant by that post is that for a borderline player seeking admission, i can see the admissions council calling everything into question, including his image. the reality is DD is a polarizing figure who brings a lot of baggage with him and once the general public learns of his past, they are going to be quick to judge him, perhaps even reinforcing a preexisting stereotype they associate with his image. unfortunately, not everyone is as open minded as it seems people are on this msgbrd.
i think the university underestimated just how much negative publicity DD would generate when they gave RR the ok to bring him in on signing day. now realizing that DD is a public realations nightmare, they are backing off even though he met the minimum requirments for the NCAA.
you can say we are not letting him in because we hold our athletes to a higher academic standard but i'm guessing we've let in players in the past whose scores weren't great but whose image was less radical. i don't think the university is racist by any means but i do think DD needs to realize he won't be given the benefit of the doubt concerning anything in his past--in the court of public opinion, that is--so he needs to be more responsible in the way he walks talks and dresses if he wants win them over. i'm not saying change who you are, but the reality is when you are facing an uphill battle to convince people you are not who your checkered past may suggest, you gotta pull out all the tricks.
i know it seems stupid to talk about image, but i assure you M reveres its image and understands how quickly their image can be sullied. again, i don't doubt DD has cleaned up his act, but he just needs to go above and beyond to convince everyone else. obviously, the best way would be to come to M, win championships, and graduate without any sort of off the field mishaps, but unfortunately, i don't think the university is willing to risk their storied image on that.
I don't think this is about dreads. I think this is about a shift, or re-emphasis on academic standards, and maybe some dilligence around academic qualification as Brian suggested yesterday.
I'm glad michigan234897wasfu908 has said what everyone else really knows to be the truth.
Mary Sue hates dreads and gold teeth. That's the real story here.
Would someone mind posting Rich's email again so I can send some support?
This is my first time posting, but I have followed this blog for about a year. I decided my first post would be on this subject because it is something I feel very strongly about. As a high school football coach at a school that houses a lot of troubled kids, I am appalled at how this has been handled by the UofM. For a lot of kids, they lead troubled lives and never turn them around. When a kid has an opportunity to improve himself and his lifestyle and seizes that opportunity, it is a blessing to witness. This does not happen often. Demar has obviously tried very hard to do that. To rip this kid for his past, all while he is trying to turn his life around, is sickening. Though I bleed maize and blue and hate bashing any part of the school, shame on the admissions department for not recognizing the opportunity to help a kid change his life for the better. Good luck to Mr. Dorsey. No matter where he goes, I will cheer him on. Hope he keeps his head up and keeps bettering himself.
I'm glad you felt moved enough by the story to finally post. Welcome.
But I feel like this post commits the same error that others have--assuming we know everything in a kid's file. We don't.
Admissions handles football recruits every year. They work closely with the AD. They always have. They understand that it is a process with a lot of steps and there's a time gap between LOI and admission. They routinely wave deadlines for athletes so they can get their apps complete and they obviously give a lot of consideration to many factors when making an admit decision.
They have admitted many athletes with less-than-stellar records, some of whom have had success here, some who haven't.
If Admissions has concerns about Dorsey sufficient to keep him from being U-M, isn't it possible--just possible--that they have a good reason? A reason that can't or won't be made public?
We all want Dorsey in the Big House. And who wouldn't feel moved by a "kid with tough life makes good" story? We want the best for DD, and we think the best is to be at U-M. But I think that sentiment is blinding us to the possiblity that there could be more here than just "Wow, Admissions really screwed the pooch and has ruined this kid's life"
Thanks for the welcome. I agree, I don't think we will ever know why he didn't get in (if he, in fact, doesn't), but I feel that we can safely assume it's the admissions office being ridiculous about Dorsey's past transgressions. You're right, we shouldn't assume we know what's going on, but "if the shoe fits". His grades made the cut, he has no felonies where he has actually been convicted. Unless he has done something wrong in the past 4 months that we don't know about, I have to believe it has to do with his past. Could be wrong though...
but I feel that we can safely assume it's the admissions office being ridiculous about Dorsey's past transgressions.
See, this is where we differ. I don't think we can safely assume that.
It was my understanding that the "past transgressions" things had long been hashed out before (before the local media went nuts on that aspect).
If DD is going to be denied based on his run-ins with the law, then yes, there has been a serious miscommunication with him. We could have made that call (whether it's the right or wrong decision) a long time ago. So that would be a big screwup, and yeah, he was jacked around. BUT We're not amateurs at this; it's come up before. I believe it is something else, or a combination of something elses, or something that put those earlier issues in a new light.
And I'd write the same paragraph about grades. If all Demar really had to do was meet minimum NCAA quaifications grade-wise, and he did, then yes, it looks like he has been screwed. But I don't think that's the only thing U-M has to think about when evaluating an athlete, and I don't think a minimum GPA threshold is what's at issue.
I don't know what has gone on with Dorsey, but from what I know of Admissions it doesn't seem credible to me that they're just being arbitrary or contrary.
To rip this kid for his past, all while he is trying to turn his life around, is sickening.
That does not seem to be the case, at least not with regard to U-M itself. That's pure media speculation. Dorsey himself says it is about grades: "They had been checking on my grades earlier in the year" -- I read that as meaning there was a problem with his grades.
Maybe the problem will be resolved when U-M gets his final grades, but Admissions is not sanguine (i.e., he needs to do much better than he has ever done in the past), so they are trying to help expedite his release if it should come to that.
I feel that grades is a quick and safe excuse for not letting him in, but may not be the reason why. I have no proof, but I am sure other athletes have been accepted to UofM with grades less spectacular than Demar's. Some athletes at the school I coach at have gotten into great academic schools with less or about the same grades and test scores.
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