MSU Fight Development: Fight Over a Woman

Submitted by Geaux_Blue on
The FreeP, in a big ass story (four pages!), recounts how Mark Dell has recounted to his father the circumstances surrounding the fight that sent two Spartans off the team and eight presumably off the bowl roster. Highlights:
  • Winston was dancing with someone's girlfriend shortly after the PSU loss when he was "jumped by a couple of men."
  • Friends agreed to come with him after the team banquet to Rather Hall, which is across the street
  • Dell claims to not have participated but lied to Dantonio about being present
  • The fight occurred ninety minutes after the banquet ended (unreal)
  • Cunningham also alleges to have not been physically involved
  • Dantonio may have had two different meetings with players - implied by the following
    Dell Sr. said the only thing his son was guilty of was bad judgment and lying to Dantonio when the coach initially asked him if he was present during the incident. He also said Dantonio spoke to the players individually and all initially denied being a part of the incident.
  • Parents were notified by Dantonio on Tuesday of looming suspensions
  • On November 21, an MSU player was cited outside the bar for public urination and minor in possession and will be arraigned Thursday
  • The fight may have been part of an ongoing feud between the team and the fraternity
  • Dell Sr. alleges players 'circled the room' and were preparing to leave when a commotion and small fight lasting less than a minute occurred
    • Those wishing to give the FreeP an additional click can find the article rather easily. It should be interesting to see who the arrest was (perhaps Jenrette?) though it should be easily found once the arraignment occurred. The article says Thursday for that so I would assume, as this article was released tonight, they mean in seven days.
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    KBLOW

    December 4th, 2009 at 12:19 AM ^

    If they respected Dantonio they wouldn't lie to him. But then again, if they really respected him they would not have done something so blatantly stupid in the first place. Then there's that whole hand slap precedent setting thing the last time they assaulted some people

    Joined: 06/30/2008

    MGoPoints: 22341

    BlockM

    December 4th, 2009 at 12:21 AM ^

    I don't get it. This sounds like much less of a big deal than it did originally. Someone's not telling the whole truth. No mention of ski masks at all!

    Joined: 07/03/2008

    MGoPoints: 40711

    Seth9

    December 4th, 2009 at 12:50 AM ^

    The father of one of the players decided to relay the players' story to the Freep. I think that they would have been better off if they had interviewed more of the witnesses, but I'm willing to bet that they've had more trouble in that regard because I doubt that the witnesses or victims are rushing off to the press to tell their story, which is perfectly understandable given the ongoing police investigation.

    Joined: 04/01/2009

    MGoPoints: 2493

    Seth9

    December 4th, 2009 at 1:04 AM ^

    They did make inquiries with Campus police and posted a statement from the lawyer of one of the victims. I highly doubt they did a full investigation, but for a paper with a reduced staff that's trying to come out with information, I have no problem with posting the Dell Sr. account, so long as they continue to investigate alternate accounts.

    Joined: 04/01/2009

    MGoPoints: 2493

    GOBLUE4EVR

    December 4th, 2009 at 10:54 AM ^

    doesn't add up at all. in my younger days i was one of the most jealous people there was when it came to being at a bar with the girl i was with back then. she would dance with her best friends and guys would always try and dance with them. i would stand and watch to make sure nothing got out of hand. but i never thought it would be a good idea to jump someone for dancing with my GF. its a no win for anyone involved. so someone isn't telling the whole story of what really happened that night or before that.

    Joined: 01/09/2009

    MGoPoints: 4273

    gmbblue

    December 4th, 2009 at 12:25 AM ^

    Read this over at Rivals........was this a fight or an assault....a fight needs two or more willing participants, sound like this was an assault on the fraternity...not unlike when Sturgess was blindsided and they called that a fight.

    Joined: 07/01/2008

    MGoPoints: 6

    Jayme in MN

    December 4th, 2009 at 1:09 AM ^

    Funny. I will show this to my husband as I'm sure he'll get a kick out of it. Although, he was a Math major at Michigan and I think there might be a tiny flaw in some of your math, but I'll let him deal with that in a later post, if he wants.

    Joined: 09/01/2009

    MGoPoints: 260

    michelin

    December 4th, 2009 at 12:33 AM ^

    ...was her name Helen? Did they declare war on the Greeks (fraternity guys)? Were the ski masks the equivalent of a Trojan Horse...like maybe they were trying to smuggle themselves into the frat house, pretending to be members of the US Alpine Ski Team? The story gets curiouser and curiouser.....

    Joined: 09/22/2009

    MGoPoints: 2541

    Ernis

    December 4th, 2009 at 12:40 AM ^

    These developments almost make me feel bad for Dantonio. Almost. I mean. Damn. Clearly a lot of his players (or former ones at least) have no respect for the guy. The fact that this whole thing ties into some teeny-bopper worthy drama at a team function and then they lie to his face about it. Fuck. But you reap what you sow, indeed. I can see 'em getting fired up in with their ski masks on listening to this: I guess you're better off having the Descendents define your youth

    Joined: 09/23/2008

    MGoPoints: 11440

    robpollard

    December 4th, 2009 at 10:42 AM ^

    Best part of this wonderful ditty is that Bonecrusher is wearing what I believe is a Peter Warrick Cincinnati Bengals jersey. I suppose this song came out to early to wear a Craphonso Thorpe jersey, but still, Mr. Crusher probably could have done better if he needed to wear an FSU player's jersey.

    Joined: 06/03/2009

    MGoPoints: 13939

    imdwalrus

    December 4th, 2009 at 10:34 AM ^

    According to the player's dad, the entire version of the story we've heard is a lie - no ski masks, no 15-20 people involved, no giant brawl, but a "a small fight" the players saw as they "were about to exit." That story, the one supposedly backed up by a roomful of witnesses and video? Forgive me if I don't believe you, Mr. Dell.

    Joined: 10/31/2009

    MGoPoints: 797

    ming

    December 4th, 2009 at 2:00 PM ^

    How do you know the version of events as detailed by the fraternity are backed up by the video? No one who has seen the video has commented on it publicly. On one side we have a fraternity member and his lawyer talking to the press right away and hinting at lawsuits possibly to drive the public narrative and force a settlement. On the other we have players' parents telling the story from a different angle presumably to protect their kids and their playing future. The truth is usually somewhere in the middle no?

    Joined: 12/04/2009

    MGoPoints: 13

    Happyshooter

    December 5th, 2009 at 10:59 AM ^

    The video is exactly what I am wondering about, as well. Whatever is on the video is so bad that MarkyD is throwing people off the the team and (according to the AP this morning) the Alamo Bowl is considering not having MSU play because of it. The Free Press story (am I not willing to call it an investigation yet) makes it sound like some poor boys on the team got sad after the team event and decided to walk over and chat with the frat---and one of them bumped a guy by accident and they felt really bad. The only thing the Freep didn't try to make sound small was the lying to MarkyD and the ski masks, but even then they seem to be talking down what happened. Whatever is on that tape either 1) supports the Freep version---but then why wasn't the matter closed Monday morning; or 2) is inconclusive and only shows perhaps some running or jumping and the campus cops are trying to break a player to get convictions---but if they were going to break they would have two days after the investigation started or not at all; or 3) the video shows something and they are using the guys who look guilty, through a plea deal, in order to get the rest. Based on common sense, I figure it is number two or number three.

    Joined: 04/11/2009

    MGoPoints: 465