Fitz "might" be available against Bama
According to Joe Schad's Twitter feed.
@schadjoe RB Fitz Toussaint is not necessarily going to be suspended for all or some of Bama season-opener; going through discipline now
Personally, I don't know how I feel about this. Granted, I'd love for him to be available, but if he is prosecuted for a DUI, I feel he should miss adequate game time. We hold ourselves to higher standards than MSU and the Chris Rucker-gate or ND and the Michael Floyd situation.
Thoughts? Besides possible euphoria imagining Fitz ready to go against Bama?
Edit: My apologies to Mr. Rucker.
No thoughts, only euphoria.
I've called him Chris DUI Rucker since because all my state friends refer to him as Chris L. Rucker.
They did that because there was another Chris Rucker on the team. I don't know if he's ever played a down for them, but there is a Chris D. Rucker as well.
lol, my e-stalker bringing it strong on the weekend.
NOTHING about that is trolling and it was up for almost two days before you came and removed it. Go screw yourself.
I agree that he should be suspended at least for the opener. I'd say bring him back for ND.
Right. Things change if he is acquitted of charges. If he is found guilty, I think he should sit at least two games.
How can we take seriously the opinion of a man who misspells the last name of the greatest pitching coach ever?
He did coach the legendary Chet Steadman. How about some HIGH.. STANKING.. CHEDDARRR!!!
All of the sudden i'm in the mood for Salisbury steak.
It's actually an inside joke.
/cool story bro.
Yep. I have faith that Hoke will, ‘Let the punishment fit the crime.’
Who is Joe Schad and how might he have any incling about how Hoke is going to handle this?
Probably listened to what Hoke said on the subject earlier today...
"...Are you basing that line on anything other than Brady Hoke's vague and noncommittal statement at the B1G Media Day?"
Brian Cook could have Tweeted the same thing, I suppose, but Brian is a better reporter. This is rediculous. I thought Twitter was down for most of the day. It's back, I see. With a vengeance.
Somebody who actually cares about what Joe Schad has to say might want to ask him for the detailed basis for his Tweet.
[Wow, that is a weird thing to type; a detailed basis for a Tweet, to appraise journalistic accuracy. It's like asking for a bibliography, for an episode of "Keeping up with the Kardashians."]
Edit. - Does anybody know how to put a question to Joe Schad directly? Like, 'What exactly do you know, Joe, that wasn't posted earlier in original-transcript form on MGoBlog hours before you sent your cryptic Tweet?' I don't see any email address for the guy at ESPN.com
This thread is almost instantly going up over 100+ posts for, what... a Tweet, based on... what... a non-decision by Brady Hoke. And now, with MGoBloggers of all description debating all manner of existential disciplinary issues, all presuming that Toussaint actually is going to play, based on a Tweet from Joe Schad that Toussaint "might" be available for Alabama (a Schad quote, not a Hoke quote) which was in turn based on Brady Hoke's comment that Toussaint was one of two players who was currently indefinitely suspended and no final decision had been made about specific game suspensions yet. Is this how mass-hysteria illness outbreaks start?
Joe Schad knows this how...?
This long thread of well over 100 posts is based on nonsense.
Joe Schad is probably the best and most well known CFB reporter on ESPN
He's not right on reports nearly as often as Past Joe Schad though.
Past Joe Schad: "This just in, PSU gets 4yr bowl ban"
You're absolutely right, Joe.
If he's allowed to play I won't be experiencing euphoria, only disappointment.
Nope. Not a fan of the the Dantonio/Kelly school of non-punitive punishments.
I don't like the possiblity that he might not miss game time. He should miss at least 2 games IMO. I definitely don't want to see winning games (not that I think UM will beat Bama even if Fitz plays the whole game, unfortunately) take precedence over doing the "right thing".
This is Michigian, fergodsakes!
I would say at least 2 games, possibly more depending on how drunk he was and how recklessly he was driving. No suspension at all sends the message that the university thinks a DUI is no big deal.
Should be a 2 or 3 game suspension. I will be incredibly disappointed if he misses no game time.
Lets have Fitz play against Alabama and then sit him for AIr Force and UMass!
/s
But will he be allowed to play while drunk?
Against f-ing Northern Illinois, and if I remember correctly, Doug Worthington against Youngstown State.
If he playsagainst Bama I'd be disappointed. A DUI is serious business and should be treated like it. If he plays, the question would be brought up, and rightfully so, if this were Joe Shmoe, would he have gotten the same treatment or not?
I hope he plays but if he's kept out it might be a blessing in disguise, as it probably just increases our chances of winning a conference title since there'd be no risk of him coming out of week 1 with an injury.
/facepalm
...took Hoke's vague answer and made it into a sweeping hypothetical.
Everyone makes good sense right down the line. Let's wait see what Hoke does. There were many who thought he'd let Stonum play in 2011 after his last alcohol crime. He crafted a perfect punishment.
I suppose this is one downside to scheduling such a big game as the first game of the season... all of the potential disciplinary actions accumulated over the off season increase the probability of suspended players for an important game.
I think he should be suspended for at least one game no matter who the opponent, but it sure would be easier to swallow if it were UMass or Air Force.
/hypocrisy
He should be suspended for three games: Massachusetts, Illinois, and Minnesota.
I'd reather he miss Air Force than Illinois. Otherwise, great idea!
I'm still holding out hope that it was actually a dfiferent Fitzgerald Toussaint that got the DUI in Ann Arbor.
Honestly I think it might feel a little dirty if we play with Fitz. I trust Hoke to discipline Fitz appropriately but the public expectation is that he should be suspended at least a game (myself included) so I guess it'll feel a bit like we're sacrificing discipline for a W
I can't get behind this. He has to take responsibility for his actions and Hoke needs to make things clear. Behavior like this will not be tolerated at The University of Michigan.
One thing we all have to realize is that the details matter. Were the mitigating or extenuating circumstances? How does this fit the overall character of the young man? Are there other punishments that might suitably punish and deter future mistakes of this nature. I realize that we all want to see UM set a higher standard than the gross pragmatism of some other schools (cough:MSU:cough). I also realize that a strong example in this case may deter others. But justice is not done with cookie cutters. Let's see what Hoke decides to do and the explanation that he gives before we rush to judgment on his decision.
I think there is some ambiguity in the situation because, obviously, it is still working its way through the court system. No coach is going to come out and say 100% that a player is guilty and punished before the actual issue is addressed. My guess is that he is found guilty, he'll sit for a couple of games. If Fitz is acquitted or something else materializes that substantively changes the situation, Hoke will probably reevaluate it. But I'd be amazed if Fitz sees the field against Alabama is the DUI or something similar. sticks
punishment for Fitz. Or alternatively, setting a court date sometime after Bama and before ND, so that Hoke can't pull the trigger. Sorry, it's a bad decision by him but just being honest. Bama will be hard enough with him
I sincerely hope Hoke sits him out for 'Bama, even though that will be an enormous blow to the team (and to Fitz, given the national coverage for that game.)
Give the idea that punishment is dependent to some degree upon the importance of the player to the team and the schedule, and you're going to encourage future fuck-ups.
I'll really be disappointed if Hoke compromises on this.
I say wait and see until we know definitively what the plan is for September 1st.
Kids drive drunk all the time, he just got caught. He has a full month to get punished before the big game. Let him play
Men representing the University of Michigan should never drive drunk. Just because others do it does not make it acceptable for Fitz. Plus, if you allow him to play, other players might get the notion that they can get caught driving drunk and avoid missing game time, so long as it's their first offense.
Also, everyone kills people. Doesn't mean they should play.
There are a lot of people who have had their lives ruined or completely taken away by drunk drivers. It is a serious crime that is brushed off too much by our society which exalts the "virtues" of alcohol and ignores the negative consequences.
Driving drunk is tantamount to walking around outside with a loaded gun, periodicially closing your eyes, spinning around and then discharging the gun. There is no guarantee that you'll harm someone, but there is still a pretty decent chance that you will.
NOTE: In case you were wondering, NO, I have not driven drunk (I don't consume alcohol at all), so I think I can safely take the moral high ground on this issue.
I'm not sure if randomly shooting a gun while spinning around is really comparable to driving with a 1.2 BAC.
In order to drive with a 1.2 BAC, you would have to be a guy named Bernie wearing sunglasses while two, bumbling idiots controlled your appendages with sticks and some rope.