MSU's Dion Sims Charged with Theft

Submitted by gater on

It appears we have an answer on why Dion Sims hasn't been playing for Michigan State. Wayne County prosecutors just revealed that he has allegedly been involved in a Detroit Public Schools computer theft ring involving 988 stolen laptops valued at around $800,000.

 

http://noise.typepad.com/hey_joe/2010/09/dion-sims-in-trouble.html

 

Nothing to really say other than for his sake, I hope it's not true.

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James Burrill Angell

September 21st, 2010 at 3:45 PM ^

Where is Lynn Henning and the fleet of MSU apologists when you need them.  I can already hear it! "Just a foolish mistake from an poorly guided young man from a bad neck of the woods"....blah, blah, blah. Good thing Urban Meyer and his bunch of hoods are out there to take the prize for most arrests in a three year period athough the Sparties are closing in fast.

Joined: 08/12/2009

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Blue in Yarmouth

September 21st, 2010 at 3:18 PM ^

If I had to pick which crime is worse, I go with drunk driving hands down. You can replace computers, or even get them back after being stolen. Some drunk ass hits a kid on the street and you don't get him back. I hate MSU as much as anyone and really don't get why someone on a UM board can't inform people of this clown from MSU. However, you brought up the comparison and I say the two aren't even close.

Joined: 02/18/2009

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WolvinLA2

September 21st, 2010 at 3:52 PM ^

OK, we need to differentiate with actual harm and potential harm. Sure, it's possible that Braylon could have hit a person. But he didn't. I know people die from drunk drivers, but they also die from people speeding, talking on their cell phones while driving, falling asleep at the wheel and a number of other things. Also, a guy driving safely with a too high BAC is very different from someone so wasted they forget what side of the road to drive on. Saying a DWI is a worse crime than felony theft only because of what could happen is a silly way to look at it. Is a DWI worse than beating your kids? Remember, your kids are still alive, but the drunk driver could have killed someone. Maybe that's an extreme example, but based on your comment it sounds like you'd believe that.

Joined: 11/13/2009

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Blue in Yarmouth

September 22nd, 2010 at 9:46 AM ^

I am saying that a DWI is worse than felony theft yes. One has the potential to seriously harm someone while the other is about a persons property. You bring up an example where someone is obviously getting hurt (beating a child) to contrast a situation where someone could get hurt. These are two very different conversations.

I understand that everyone has different sets of morals but as a Dr. who has seen far too many people come into the ER because some asshole thought he was sober enough drive mine tell me I would rather have someone break into my home and steal everything I own rather then have them driving drunk on the streets where I live. I can replace anything material that they steal but if he were to hit one of my children I could never get them back.

If the potential for harm in these instances was only to themselves, I would say fine, let the idiots kill themselves. Unfortunately it is often innocent people who actually obey the law that end up hurt.

I can't even believe that I am having this debate with an adult (i guess you may not be an adult though, who knows). You're really suggesting that stealing is worse than drunk driving? I hope for your sake that it doesn't take losing someone close to you to a drunk driver to get you to figure out how insane that is.

Joined: 02/18/2009

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MichFan1997

September 21st, 2010 at 3:08 PM ^

this is not even a big deal since a FORMER Michigan player now in the NFL got in trouble. They should just pretend this didn't happen, Glen Winston style. That is, if it's true. Just a story now. By my God man, if a player fucks up, call him out on it. Ever heard of Justin Feagin or Bobo Cissoko? They're no longer even at Michigan because of their mistakes. It's not like you see a ton of ppl here rushing to defend them. Try Mlive, seriously.

Joined: 08/04/2008

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Keeeeurt

September 21st, 2010 at 3:10 PM ^

I still don't understand how RR gets bad press for recruiting "thugs" when the MSU players do things like this and the vast majority of U of M players are classy individuals and always say the right things.

Joined: 09/04/2009

MGoPoints: 3647

SpartanDan

September 21st, 2010 at 10:27 PM ^

and won't, at minimum, until this is resolved. If he's guilty, he should be gone - and I think he will be.

Some amount of stupidity is forgiveable (but still needs to be met with a temporary suspension). Lots of college students get in fights (although most of them don't send someone to the hospital with a fractured skull; Winston should have been off the team for at least a full season longer than he actually was), so I can understand booting them for a couple games or a bowl trip and then letting them rejoin the team if they remain on good behavior thereafter. This, though, if the allegations are true ... he's got to go. Grand theft is not "kids being kids".

Joined: 08/20/2008

MGoPoints: 594

GOBLUE4EVR

September 22nd, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^

he is found guilty and isn't kicked off of the team, then what??? when winston spent time in jail and was allowed back on the team there was barely a yawn about it... and we all know what happened after that... if sims is allowed to play again after being found guilty, spartan fans need to really start to question what the hell is going on up there... every michigan player under richrods watch that has gotten into serious trouble with the cops has been given the boot right away to leave no doubt in the minds of other players... what is the general feeling towards the players getting in trouble over and over again??? i know that valenti has said on the air that he doesn't care to an extent if it gets them to a rosebowl, is that how all of the fans feel???

Joined: 01/09/2009

MGoPoints: 4282

Wolverine318

September 21st, 2010 at 3:14 PM ^

That is a lot of freakin computers.

Which, also begs the question, if DPS is so broke then why did they have 800+ laptops value at over $900. I would think they would have purchased value branded laptops at a bulk price (ie around $400-500).

Joined: 07/01/2008

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blueneverquits

September 21st, 2010 at 3:23 PM ^

from Mark Hollis:

"During his indefinite suspension, Dion will continue to have access to all of the available resources in the Clara Bell Smith Student-Athlete Academic Center. We will allow the legal process to play out before we make any final decision regarding his future status with the team.”

 

I've never been there, but I'm pretty sure that academic center has computers.

http://www.freep.com/article/20100921/NEWS01/100921057/1318/MSU-tight-end-accused-in-DPS-laptop-theft-ring

Joined: 02/09/2009

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Section 1

September 21st, 2010 at 3:29 PM ^

Remember, Dion Sims didn't just vanish from the Spartan football roster.  He was the dual-sport monster whom they thought might be a playa for Izzo too.  But then in, uh "mid-February," Izzo decided it just wasn't gonna, uh, work out:

The problem with the 6-foot-5, 265-pound Sims is what position he would play, Izzo said.

"He's not as big as Trannon, in some ways," Izzo said. "And then, he needed to get into things and, in the middle of that stretch we were in, with all those games, and all of them on the road, there was just no time to spend.

"That's why it wasn't fair to him, or fair to football, or fair to anybody -- except to us. It was just a luxury to have a kid, but we didn't want to do that to him."

Sims suffered from the flu for several days, which cost him practice and game availability and further reduced his basketball viability.

So, like, the flu, and such, and yadayadayada.

http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2010/02/spartans_tom_izzo_cuts_tight_e.html

Cue Mark Hollis, today:

MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis said: “Since mid-February, we have been aware that Dion Sims and members of his extended family have been dealing with some legal issues. Dion informed the coaching staff of the police investigation and has kept them apprised of the progress of the investigation.

But leave it to our man Izzo, for the, uh, "money" quote, back in that time we knew as "mid-February":

"Because we got him so late, I said, 'Let's give it three weeks, a month, and see what happens.' But we decided, probably two weeks ago, that unless something changes quickly, he'd better go back to his bread and butter, where his money is," MSU basketball coach Tom Izzo said.

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