OT: Andre Rison Says MSU Assistant Slapped Him in 1986

Submitted by BursleyHall82 on July 6th, 2020 at 5:26 PM

MSU assistant coach Buck Nystrom slapped Rison in the locker room before the Illinois game in 1986. George Perles was the head coach and Nick Saban was an assistant. All that slapping helped the team to a stellar 6-5 record that season. Stay classy, MSU!

LINK.

NittanyFan

July 6th, 2020 at 5:36 PM ^

OK.

I attended a private high school in Detroit - I mouthed off to a vice principal once. 

That earned me a quick "picked up by the collar of my shirt and slammed against a locker a couple times."  This was in front of my classmates.  And this was in the first half of the 1990s.

And I knew it even then - I deserved it. 

That same vice principal, I apologized, he accepted, and I had a good relationship with afterwards, no grudges held.  I don't recall for sure, but he may have written some of my college letters of recommendation.  

Denard In Space

July 6th, 2020 at 5:49 PM ^

Usually I love what you post, but there's a difference between high school and college. In college, the coach slapped an adult. I think it's completely wrong, stupid, and reflective of that coach not being able to control himself (imagine if Rison slapped an opponent that was taunting him that game... literally taught by his coach!) -- but it's adult versus adult. 

A vice principal roughing up a high schooler should get the principal fired and in legal trouble. If some administrator can't handle a mouthy high-school student without melting down, they should try a profession where you're allowed to hit people and not one where you're trying to teach kids to solve problems. If that was my kid, I'd pay the principal a visit and break his fucking thumbs. 

RGard

July 6th, 2020 at 6:23 PM ^

Eh,  I was paddled 2x in the 5th grade for being a jerk both times.  I survived.  

Our oldest 2 got the occasional swat.  The youngest did not, but he has always been exceptionally well behaved.  They are all well adjusted members of society.

Would I ever swat a grandchild?  No, I wouldn't.

Denard In Space

July 6th, 2020 at 7:03 PM ^

My response whenever someone says "I used to hit my kids sometimes, but they turned alright" or "my dad hit me, and I'm doing fine" I always respond the same: that means that the kids who were hit are resilient people, not that those who hit them made the right choice.

Kids literally learn how to feel safe from their caregivers -- if that gets disrupted by violence, that can have a wide-ranging series of effects from nothing to chronic PTSD. They also learn how to solve problems from their caregivers and teachers. The data in support of my point of view is pretty overwhelming.  

I'm a social worker who works with abused kids for context, so that's why I get my drawers in a bunch when people talk about hitting kids... even if, like in the context of this dialog, there is no apparent ill will in anyone's statements or actions. 

Incognymous

July 7th, 2020 at 9:34 AM ^

there are many reactionary comments on this thread that miss this point: that physical discipline is not categorically wrong in child rearing.

there is a difference between lashing out physically based on emotions and spanking a child to modify behavior.

GomezBlue

July 7th, 2020 at 7:04 PM ^

There is a BIG difference between "swat" and "hit."  I never hit my child and only swatted him a couple of times.  One time, he was about 5 or so, I told him if you do that (whatever) you'll get a swat.  He responded if you do, I'll call "991."  Chuckle, swat--"There's the phone."  That might have been the last time I swatted him. 

NittanyFan

July 6th, 2020 at 6:34 PM ^

Perhaps - I also do think it was a different time.

Right or wrong, that behavior from authority figures was more tolerated then, and in Rison's time (1986).

Rison's claims - I'm trying to view them in the context of the era.  I honestly think his claims are a complete non-story.  1986 was 1986, and my HS days in the 1st half of the 1990s were the 1st half of the 1990s.

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On a side note, I never did tell either my Mom or Dad about that incident.  I figured that if I did, they would get on my ass TOO.  They'd (1) tell me that I deserved it, and (2) I'd get in even more trouble.  I'm 99% certain they wouldn't have gone and called up the school.

So I suppose that parents were different in that era too.  Or at least my parents.

RGard

July 6th, 2020 at 7:04 PM ^

'Mr. Tuminella' was my 5th grade teacher with the paddles (you had a choice, one with holes and one without holes  You always picked the one without holes as he could get some serious velocity with the one with holes.)   This was 1971 and 1972.  My second paddling was on the last day of school that year.

Anyway, a week after the last day of school, my parents decided they were going to buy an new car and we headed to the AMC dealership in Verona, PA.

We get there and the main salesman is also named, 'Mr. Tuminella', but a lot older than my 5th grade teacher.  Then I see my 5th grade teacher, 'Mr. Tuminella', who is the son of the main salesman and is working there for the summer.  He said "hi, Rich".  I said hi.  My parents said hi too  as they knew him from back to school night and I was absolutely crapping myself that my teacher would tell my parents and my parents believed all too strongly in corporal punishment and I'd get it worse at home.

Mr. Tuminella never mentioned it.  It was over and done with as far as he was concerned.  

NittanyFan

July 6th, 2020 at 7:34 PM ^

That's a great anecdote, thanks for sharing.

This sounds odd to say - but I think adults in earlier eras were more apt to look at and treat youths AS adults in many ways.  

I had the same experience as you.  When it came to punishment, my aforementioned VP also had an attitude of "this is between us, and once it's over, we'll move on."

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One additional anecdotal story:

My freshman-year American History teacher in High School: he started every class by saying "Good Morning, Men.  Today, we are going to discuss ............"    (my school was all boys)

And he meant what he said.  We were only 14-year olds, but he DID view us, and treat us, as men. 

We were never talked down to.  If we worked hard, we were rewarded.  If we didn't work hard, we were held accountable.  If we challenged his opinions and thoughts in a respectful way, he listened to us and legitimately considered what we were saying.  If we tried to bull-shit him, he would directly call us out for it.

In retrospect, he was among my favorite teachers.

mjv

July 6th, 2020 at 7:44 PM ^

If you don't mind my asking, what year were you born?  This is not to insult, but rather place your point of view into perspective.  I was born in 1972 and paddles were just fading away in Catholic school by the time I was in grade school.  A football coach grabbing a player by the facemask or hitting a player was not uncommon during my youth.  

The behaviors that may seem over the top to you were commonplace.  People didn't take offense to every perceived slight. 

jsquigg

July 6th, 2020 at 5:51 PM ^

Nah, you didn't deserve it.

It's cool that you both ended up in good relationship, but adults in power have a responsibility to develop more effective ways to respond to varying degrees of youth/adolescent/young adult behavior.

This doesn't mean that we aren't all human or that we should be judged by our worst actions, but there are always better responses than a physical reprimand, and in spite of the excessive confirmation bias these days, that's backed by the science and data.

Blue in Paradise

July 6th, 2020 at 5:53 PM ^

My Mom slapped me a handful of times as a kid (always deserved - in fact I probably deserved more than I even got).  Once, my best friend's mom had to slap me (that was deserved too) and told my mom about it - when I got home, my mom slapped me for making my friends mom slap me.

To this day, I love my parents and they love me.  My best friend and his parents remain like a 2nd family for me.  Sometimes kids need a reminder not to do / say stupid things - although this should never be taken to the point where you are physically hurting the kids in any way. 

That being said, my wife and I are not violent people and don't slap our kids.  I prefer to use words and discussions as learning experiences.  I guess what I am saying is that times have changed and I think we have better ways of doing things now but I am not going to get outraged about a slap.

bacon1431

July 6th, 2020 at 6:03 PM ^

I am sure that Michigan coaches of the past have done this. Doesn’t make it ok. Glad we have advanced past this form of coaching.