No witty title for this one...former Wolverine busted for bribery.
Well, the list of former Wolverines in politics just went down by one...
http://www.thetimes-tribune.com/news/luzerne-commissioner-skrepenak-res…
December 18th, 2009 at 4:17 PM ^
There is already a link to this somewhere on the home page for mgoblog.....
December 18th, 2009 at 4:18 PM ^
That answers that question.
December 18th, 2009 at 5:09 PM ^
I was scared for a second that Adrian Witty was bribin' people. Phew.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:20 PM ^
Lynden Trail had his picture taken wearing a bandanna over his face.
Greg Skrepenak took a bribe.
Are we still going to throw stones at Florida's and OSU's programs?
December 18th, 2009 at 7:54 PM ^
I can't speak for anyone else here, but I will definitely continue to throw stones at OSU and MSU, among others.
There is a huge difference between an isolated incident of a former player doing something stupid later in life and, for example, a premeditated, organized assault on a campus organization by over ten percent of the scholarship players on the football team. Or the blatant buying of players at OSU, who doesn't get in trouble even when a player admits to cash incentives and having his homework and tests done for him by a "tutor."
UM is still waaaay behind MSU in the criminal player department, and OSU in the player incentives department.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:33 PM ^
another rich democrat on the take.
How much $ did he earn in the NFL?
Plus he got a free ride at UoM and he needs 5ger.
What every happened to honesty in public service, standing up and doing the right thing for your community. Oh, I'm sorry I forgot I speaking of elected officials.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:55 PM ^
... another douchebag injecting partisanship into a thread. Politicians are all of the same ilk... democrat, republican, UM grad, or not.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:01 PM ^
Politicians on both sides of the fence take bribes, and partisanship really doesn't belong here.
My politics are very much on one side of the fence, but I won't ever let anyone here know. Like me, I suspect that the majority of posters and readers here come here to get away from politics and their increasingly partisan nature.
I like it better here when mgoblog is like the South Park episode where Jesus is manning the phones on a radio show. Someone asks him for a definitive answer about a "hot button" issue that I won't name here, and he says, "I wouldn't touch that one with a ten foot pole."
As a veteran of quite a few yahoo fan groups, I can definitely say that when people from diverse backgrounds try to discuss any political issue on the internet, it all goes down the crapper quicker than you can say, "boondoggle."
December 18th, 2009 at 7:21 PM ^
or that the ones who do are poor, making it more understandable? I can see how you got to -24 and counting.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:38 PM ^
to the list of Wolverines "in politics" as he formally declared his candidacy for US House Rep in NJ.
December 18th, 2009 at 6:56 PM ^
I liked Skrepenak back in the day. This is disappointing. Hopefully he makes amends.
December 18th, 2009 at 7:15 PM ^
is getting old, lets find some new names for ppl to be called.
To top it off I never mentioned how I vote, just made a statement. He happens to be a Democrat.
Lloyd didn't go out and stump for him to did he?
December 18th, 2009 at 7:30 PM ^
I don't need to be popular, I'm just bored at work.
December 18th, 2009 at 7:37 PM ^
Very disappointing to see this, up to now people had pointed to him as an example of a player who made good after football. I hope he can keep his nose clean from now on.
December 18th, 2009 at 11:28 PM ^
Luzerne County is one of the most corrupt counties in the state. They've had a series of judges caught with their hands in the cookie jars. The worst was one who would sentence minors to a rehabilitation (boot camp) facility run by a private company. After several years it has come out that the judge has been getting kickbacks from the prison for a long time.
Skrepenak's name has come up many times, but nothing ever stuck...until now. M grad or not, he needs to go away for a long time just because of principle for violating the trust of voters.
December 18th, 2009 at 8:08 PM ^
It is sorta difficult to understand how someone would soil a UM degree with this kind of behavior. He had a good life, and has pretty much ruined it for a lousy 5K. A UM degree and a football pedigree that includes the NFL will get a person a lot if it is used correctly. When a felony is added into the equation, though, it diminishes the value of the degree greatly.
Maybe he took too many head shots on the line. I hope he learns from this and somehow lands on his feet.
December 18th, 2009 at 9:36 PM ^
This seems a bit strong, I'd say. Anyway, he certainly has embarrassed himself, his family, the University and his former team mates. Further, his lack of transparency with his constituents is ridiculous and subdividing contracts to avoid bidding regulations petty and evidently legally concerning.
I would hope he hasn't ruined his life and that he is able to make amends for his actions and take responsibility. I hope he is able to do better than running from his actions/obfuscating (the article sounded a bit that way).
This said, as a community of Michigan fans, it's okay to support one of our own when they screw up and do stupid things. We all do stupid things or make regrettable actions. As supporters of the University it's okay to recognize the error but to support the guy, also an alumni, who made it to do better in future.