M Ascending

February 16th, 2018 at 8:16 AM ^

I note your sarcasm, but I will tell you that back in my day, attending high school in the 1960s, "groping" was generally not considered criminal-charge-worthy conduct.  In fact, it was expected that boys would try to "cop a feel" in the hallways or stairwells and then brag to their friends about it. 

I bring this up only to note how societal values have changed so dramatically over the past decades.  Before you start negging me to Bolivia, let me say that I in no way condone rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment, unwanted touching, or any act of disrespect towards women.  I just wanted to point out to the many younger members of this blog how society has been evolving.  What was once a badge of honor for a high school boy might now wind up getting him suspended, expelled, or brought before a judge.

redhed

February 16th, 2018 at 9:54 AM ^

Perry was accused & charged with the same thing, and he played.  I hate Izzo like poison, but this being the lead story on ESPN.com's "Headlines" seems like a stretch.  A walk-on is being investigated for grabbing a girls ass (which is a serious issue if confirmed), but hasn't been charged. 

Arb lover

February 16th, 2018 at 10:59 AM ^

Couple of things:

Perry was suspended immediately and didn't play until it became crystal clear that the charge (groping) was frivolous, as in the lady's account was night and day inconsistent, she admitted motive for falsely charging him, secret recordings of Perry showed that he was consistent, and video, the bouncer watching the scene, and the lady's friends all affirmed nothing happened.

However Perry was still charged within a month or so. Contrast that here where they slow walked this for four months before Even charging him. I have no idea what evidence they have, but I can guarantee that the lady's account was not inconsistent. It also appears that he is not suspended, just "not playing".

Also are we talking the EL city attorney who just got caught embezzling over 100k in federal grant money, or the Ingham county prosecutor in jail for lots of reasons. The whole system up there is dirty.

wolverine1987

February 16th, 2018 at 1:14 PM ^

may or may not be guilty of that, but that has no bearing on whether the treatment of athletes then was usual, and in fact, it was--all over the country.

People here categorically are evaluating this ESPN report 100% differently than if we were being accused of the same thing. Their disdain for MSU (which I share) is coloring their judgement. If this report came out about Michigan, within a day there would be 100 posts fisking every sentance in the report. 

Indy Pete - Go Blue

February 15th, 2018 at 11:46 PM ^

When your interim president calls out the network that is trying to expose your dark secrets... they are going to keep bringing it.  ESPN is on a witch hunt.  That was some more foolish leadership by MSU - they keep lowering the bar and managing to go below it.

Sambojangles

February 16th, 2018 at 12:15 AM ^

Disagree, it's not a "witch hunt" if there are real witches, and everything indicates there were, and still are, at MSU. It's not like ESPN has an agenda here, they're just reporting what they investigate and find. That being said, this article does seem to create the news a bit. They spend the first part of the article reporting on the new accusation, and the rest reporting on their own OTL reporting to date.

Indy Pete - Go Blue

February 16th, 2018 at 12:37 AM ^

Okay, you may be the self-proclaimed Merriam Webster on the definition of witch hunt, but please don't assume that I don't think there are witches.  I am not sure you are catching the drifts of my posts - so let me clarify for you. I think ESPN started this just looking for truth.  After MSU obstructed justice repeatedly, their sense of justice naturally increased.  Now ESPN has an agenda, and I find that appropriate.  You did contradict yourself with this statement,

"That being said, this article does seem to create the news a bit."

ESPN is going all in on MSU.  And like I said before, when the MSU interim President comes out bashing ESPN, they are going to work that much harder hunting those witches.  Now please keep me posted on any updates to your dictionary so I can stay accurate!

TrueBlue2003

February 16th, 2018 at 12:57 AM ^

just like any profit-seeking media company is to write pieces that get views, clicks, etc.

Was their timing opportunistic with the OTL Izzo/Dantonio piece? For sure?  Can you blame them?  Absolutely not.  It's a big story and meaningful in the context of the Nassar sentencing, because there is an institutional connection.

And given the context, this new info is absolutely a big story because MSU has a communications dipshit saying that the police don't inform them of matters when they have a specific mandate to share those things between the police and the Title IX office.

Either this PR guy doesn't know what he's talking about, or they are still not complying with the rules.  Whichever it is, it's bad for them and the incompetence is limitless.

gruden

February 16th, 2018 at 11:46 AM ^

If anyone remembers back in the 80s with presidential candidate Gary Hart.  He pretty much dared the press to find any significant dirt on him.  Soon after a picture of Donna Rice sitting on his lap appeared.

Yeah, ESPN is a money-making operation, but it's also run by people who identify with the operation, so if you provoke them and question their journalism, you're inviting them to take another shot.

trueblueintexas

February 16th, 2018 at 1:08 PM ^

Do you remember 2013 when Hugh Freeze challenged anyone to find proof of cheating at Ole Miss?

And yes, I lived in Ohio in the 80's. Amazingly, soon after the Gary Hart situation my sister found herself in trouble, yet again, and tried to tell my parents it wasn't her fault, she was just like Gary Hart, she couldn't help herself. The argument didn't work and she was grounded. 

charblue.

February 16th, 2018 at 10:22 AM ^

this is not a major story only because the case involves a roster athlete, not a program star or starting player. It's significant because it demonstrates a continuing pattern of failure to respond to existing regulations governing complaints under Title IX.

And, clearly the lack of public MSU administration response to this report of a police complaint  alleging a certain "groping" accusation is consistent with its previous failure to comment, enabled by the the veneer of student privacy guidelines. Clearly, if there was a failure in the administrative pipeline of disclosing the nature of this complaint from police to the university, something is broken. But this excuse provides limited relief once it becomes evident that the report was essentially ignored in order to keep the basketball program from ongoing spotlight on an issue that has repeatedly cropped up at the school.

And when you fail to respond to an investigative report, it doesn't make it go away. It just gives it more oxygen and legs, and deepens the public mistrust about whether MSU's perceived response is geared toward finding fact and actiing on it, or simply waiting out the media pressure until it goes away.

GRBluefan

February 16th, 2018 at 8:52 AM ^

"Witch Hunt" by it's very nature implies looking for something that isn't there.  As in, there is no such thing as a witch.  To call what ESPN is doing a Witch Hunt is highly inaccurate.  I don't think you were trying to make that point, but that term certainly has connotations.  

UMxWolverines

February 15th, 2018 at 11:47 PM ^

You know what's great about this? Either MSU gets exposed for brushing sexual assaults under the rug school wide, not just gymnastics, or if this stuff is proven not true, ESPN loses all credibility and crashes and burns.

Indy Pete - Go Blue

February 15th, 2018 at 11:57 PM ^

And if ESPN is way off, their demise would be a nice consolation prize.  (thanks for pointing out that potential scenario) I am going to look at the ridiculous amounts of smoke here, as well as the numerous independent government investigations and conclude that MSU has done some very, very bad things. Time will tell...

Regardless, I am as glad as ever to cheer for the maize and blue.

TrueBlue2003

February 16th, 2018 at 12:18 AM ^

They reported what Allswede said while admitting they can't confirm her allegations, right?

If no one can prove the allegations, is ESPN going to get skewered? Does that make Allswede a liar or is it just that her claims can't be confirmed (and it's unlikely they would have documented Dantonio's involvement so she's on a lonely island right now).  I don't know. 

A lack of proof that Dantonio handled cases internally doesn't necessarily mean he didn't.  Best-case for MSU, the AG and any of the multiple investigations doesn't find anything to confirm her allegations, but if they try to say, see, it didn't happen!  Is anyone going to believe them?