Reon Dawson clears the air.

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February 8th, 2013 at 5:41 PM
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drewro02
Joined: 06/20/2009
MGoPoints: 1030
Reon Dawson clears the air.

I know this was discussed again yesterday as Mike McCray gave some comments on what Dawson said on signing day, but here are some direct quotes from Reon himself. At some point he has felt like he has let Michigan fans down by saying what he said, so sometimes it's important to realize they are just kids, and maybe he just mis-spoke.

(Free) http://recruiting.scout.com/2/1265370.html

"It was just a comment about being from the state of Ohio, not anything about Ohio State at all," Dawson stated. "Ohio State never even offered me a scholarship at all, so how could I be loyal to the school? What I meant was I'm proud of my state, and my family being from here, and I don't even know why I said that really. I was just happy to be headed to college and my family was so proud, that I never meant any reference to Ohio State."

"I feel terrible that some Michigan fans are mad at me, and I'm so grateful to the school for the opportunity they're giving me," he added. "I'm going to be a Michigan Man for life, and that's the next chapter of my life. I signed with Michigan because I loved everything about it and I switched from Illinois because of Coach (Brady) Hoke and his coaching staff."

"I can't wait to be apart of the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry, and I'm looking forward to beating them four straight years," he continued. "I talked to Mike McCray today about this, and he knows what I meant. We have been teammates here at Trotwood, and he was a big part of me going to Michigan, so he knows I'm a respectful person that never looks to say anything hurtful to anyone. I feel really bad how this came out, and I just want the Michigan fans to know I love being apart of Wolverine Nation and I'm going to do everything I can to make them proud of me."

Welcome aboard Reon, and Go Blue!

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February 8th, 2013 at 5:44 PM | You are a gentleman and a (Score:5 Normal)
Eve_of_TheRivalry
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Joined: 11/17/2011
MGoPoints: 120

You are a gentleman and a scholar...I wasn't upset with him in the first place; I mean it's not like the kid has been trained in PR skills. Just beat ohio and nothing else matters.

To Hell with Notre Dame

February 8th, 2013 at 6:10 PM | Reon:  I'm sorry if you went (Score:3 Normal)
jbibiza
Joined: 10/08/2009
MGoPoints: 1945

Reon:  I'm sorry if you went through any grief over this misunderstanding.

Welcome to the Wolverine Nation - GO BLUE!

jbibiza

February 9th, 2013 at 2:05 AM | I wasn't mad, either (Score:1)
Tater
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Joined: 08/13/2008
MGoPoints: 10382

AFAIC, he has every right to still have feelings for the school he grew up cheering for.  Besides, it's quite likely that his feelings will change a lot after one game against Ohio.

 

 

 

February 9th, 2013 at 3:21 AM | Hey! Wait a minute. (Score:1)
MGoSoftball
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Joined: 10/18/2010
MGoPoints: 3602

He said he felt terrible that some Michigan fans were upset with him.  I do not recall anyone on here dogging him out.  There are Michigan Fans that do not read this blog?  Blasphamy, I say.

From the Red Cedar Message Board:  "God hates us."  Yes He does Lil Bro, yes he does.  Everyone hates you.

February 8th, 2013 at 5:47 PM | It's really too bad he even (Score:5 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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Joined: 11/13/2009
MGoPoints: 17712

It's really too bad he even has to do this, because obviously he's taken a lot of flack from fans, which sucks. 

If I were him, I would have said, "Hey all you adults giving me shit - cut me some slack I'm 17 years old.  Chill out."  But it sounds like he's more respectful than I am. 

February 8th, 2013 at 5:51 PM | I agree, people need to cool (Score:5 Normal)
willywill9
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Joined: 09/22/2008
MGoPoints: 11256

I agree, people need to cool it.  If he really felt that way about Ohio State, why would he come here?  And if he did that, he'd either grow out of it, or eventually realize he's not a cultural fit and probably leave.  I don't take issue with what he "said."  He just learned a valuable lesson though, about how he's got a larger megaphone these days.

Touchdown Michigan!

February 8th, 2013 at 6:32 PM | Social Media has been getting way too carried away this year (Score:3 Normal)
mgoDave
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Joined: 10/15/2011
MGoPoints: 137

Before this year i naively thought that our fanbase was above the juvenille responses that we mocked so vigerously when they were coming from ohio fans and were directed at Kalis. 

Unfortunately I have been embarassed by some of the crazies in our fanbase and by sportsfans in general this year.  Between the backlash from this and even worse what was directed at Dawson after his decomitment I really have come to hate twitter.

He should absolutely not have needed to respond or apologize for saying that he liked ohio.  Obviously even if he meant OSU he still likes Michigan better considering he committed here.  My god people need to get some perspective on life and stop this crazyness.   

February 8th, 2013 at 7:46 PM | I don't think he received an (Score:-1 Flamebait)
February 8th, 2013 at 8:39 PM | he didn't recieve an offer from OSU but that wasn't really (Score:2 Normal)
mgoDave
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he didn't recieve an offer from OSU but that wasn't really the point.  I am not condoning what he said or that it is the right thing to do.  I am not even saying that everyone from Michigan should like the kid or even not be upset by his comments.  My only problem has been the increasing trend for fans to publicly insult, berate, or otherwise make comments on twitter that aren't necessary or warrented. 

I still care about michigan-manness (i like that term) but even if someone doesn't live up to my expectations, or hopes it is not my place to scold him.  He has coaches and parents and if something is severe enough even cops.

February 8th, 2013 at 10:15 PM | Or (Score:1)
drewro02
Joined: 06/20/2009
MGoPoints: 1030

Maybe he didn't say that, and the reporter did mis-quote him as he suggested in this article. Why take the reporter's word as absolute fact?

February 8th, 2013 at 5:55 PM | I will never (Score:5 Normal)
UofM Die Hard i...
UofM Die Hard in Seattle's picture
Joined: 03/10/2011
MGoPoints: 627

understand people directly contacting any athlete (twitter, FB..etc) .... So stupid. 

Go Blue!

February 9th, 2013 at 2:49 AM | Agree totally.  The fact that (Score:1)
maizenbluedevil
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MGoPoints: 2602

Agree totally.  The fact that he even felt like he had to apologize to fans...  ugh.  He doesn't owe any of us anything.  

RR's comments about fans on the internet/blogs needing to get a life apply in this situation.

 

CJK5H

February 8th, 2013 at 5:48 PM | No ill will (Score:5 Normal)
UofM Die Hard i...
UofM Die Hard in Seattle's picture
Joined: 03/10/2011
MGoPoints: 627

towards the young man...good comments by him.  Welcome to the good side. 

Go Blue!

February 8th, 2013 at 5:49 PM | Sounds like a sincere apology (Score:5 Normal)
Meeeeshigan
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Can't wait to watch this young man pound the Buckeyes for 4 years!

February 8th, 2013 at 5:49 PM | In any event, actions speak (Score:3 Normal)
SFBlue
Joined: 11/02/2009
MGoPoints: 3117

In any event, actions speak louder than words, and regardless of what he said, he signed a letter of intent to play with Michigan... GO BLUE!

Missing Ann Arbor

February 8th, 2013 at 5:50 PM | Idiot fans are just (Score:5 Normal)
snoopblue
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Joined: 11/11/2009
MGoPoints: 1880

Idiot fans are just complaining and tweeting him just continue to keep this story alive. Stupid ass media probably KNEW what shit storm the kid was in for when he said it OR when they decided to twist his words.

February 8th, 2013 at 5:52 PM | Hopefully this puts and end (Score:5 Normal)
Rhino77
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Joined: 05/27/2011
MGoPoints: 172

Hopefully this puts and end to it. Welcome to Michigan, Reon. Also, not sure if it's been mentioned but welcome to the "All Name" Club!

“I am going to treat you all the same.  Like Dogs.”

February 8th, 2013 at 5:57 PM | He does have a cool first (Score:4 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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He does have a cool first name.  Once he popped onto our radar, sometimes people would just say "Dawson" in recruiting posts, and I would ask myself which Dawson that was, the Cass Tech one or the Noble Gas one. 

February 8th, 2013 at 6:01 PM | someone had a tough time in (Score:4 Normal)
._.
._.'s picture
Joined: 01/18/2010
MGoPoints: 1565

someone had a tough time in chemistry.

February 8th, 2013 at 6:07 PM | The fact that I did not have (Score:3 Normal)
WolvinLA2
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Joined: 11/13/2009
MGoPoints: 17712

The fact that I did not have a tough time in chemisty is why I was able to make that joke.  I may be the only sociology major ever who took organic chemisty as one of his natural science credits. 

February 8th, 2013 at 6:10 PM | more people should. probably (Score:1 Flamebait)
._.
._.'s picture
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MGoPoints: 1565

more people should. probably one of my favorite classes ever

February 8th, 2013 at 5:52 PM | The twitterverse is flypaper for morons (Score:5 Normal)
Don
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MGoPoints: 19221

Reon unfortunately put his foot in his mouth—as 17-year olds are wont to do—and now it's open season on him. It's a rude lesson he's in the process of learning, but it's a valuable one nonetheless: the world is full of assholes who never sign their real names.


February 8th, 2013 at 7:52 PM | Why patronize him?  Compare (Score:1 Normal)
Budaseal
Joined: 02/05/2010
MGoPoints: 25

Why patronize him?  Compare him to the other 17-18 yr old recruits in the past.  How many said, after signing with Michigan -- "don't worry, Ohio State, I still love ya" or something to that effect?  I can't recall one.  So he suffers in comparison even to those in his own cohort.

I agree he shouldn't be crucified but let's stop letting 17 yr old kids off the hook for saying stupid sh*t.  It's way too easy. 

And I agree that no one should ever tweet negatively at a college athlete on Twitter -- it's sad and pathetic.

February 8th, 2013 at 11:28 PM | I'm an asshole but my real (Score:2)
ChopBlock
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Joined: 12/11/2011
MGoPoints: 1502

I'm an asshole but my real name is ChopBlock

Sort of.

"The straightest line from A to B is straight: From A to B"

"When you have Denard Robinson, you can have everything"

~George Walden

February 8th, 2013 at 5:54 PM | It was so much more easier to (Score:5 Normal)
sedieso
Joined: 09/12/2008
MGoPoints: 526

It was so much more easier to be a kid in the 90's....

February 8th, 2013 at 5:57 PM | Clearly, you were never (Score:1)
TheGhostofYost
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MGoPoints: 2560

Clearly, you were never forced to watch TRL.

February 8th, 2013 at 6:22 PM | I am not ashamed to say it, (Score:2)
sedieso
Joined: 09/12/2008
MGoPoints: 526

I am not ashamed to say it, but, TRL was one of the things I looked forward to watching when I got home from school...

February 8th, 2013 at 8:06 PM | The hell with TRL (Score:2)
Hello_Heisman
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I was all about watching Beavis and Butthead after school. I'll tell you another thing that was great about being in high school/college in the 90's - back then, ESPN didn't suck and the 11:00 pm and 2:00 am SportsCenters were Must See TV. Olbermann and Patrick? Kilborn and Haber? Yes please. Those guys were the best mix of sports and comedy. Also led to one of my all-time favorite This Is SportsCenter commercials (apologies for the low video quality - one of the few downsides of the 90's).

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=kVEyEbroac4

"60 percent of the time.....it works every time."

February 8th, 2013 at 11:58 PM | You were FORCED to watch TRL? (Score:1)
M-Wolverine
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MGoPoints: 38878

What kind of sick household did you grow up in?

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

February 8th, 2013 at 6:05 PM | So true, but not just kids.  (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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MGoPoints: 17712

So true, but not just kids.  Do you know how many adults lose their jobs or relationships/mariages because of social media?  I mean, I don't either, but I'm more than in the 90's.

February 8th, 2013 at 6:23 PM | I think adults lose their (Score:3 Normal)
sedieso
Joined: 09/12/2008
MGoPoints: 526

I think adults lose their jobs and relationships due to the fact that TGIF no longer exists and Bob Saget as we knew him in the early 90's was a family man who gave great advice and not the dirtiest comic known to man kind. 

February 8th, 2013 at 6:27 PM | Equal parts of both, I would (Score:2)
WolvinLA2
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Joined: 11/13/2009
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Equal parts of both, I would imagine.

February 8th, 2013 at 5:57 PM | Im glad he did this again.I (Score:1 Normal)
redwhiteandmaize
Joined: 02/04/2012
MGoPoints: 1048

Im glad he did this again.I didn't think he had said enough yesterday when he first cleared the air.

"Are you an official here?Because you've officially given me a boner."

February 8th, 2013 at 6:36 PM | Are you serious? (Score:2 Normal)
mgoDave
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Joined: 10/15/2011
MGoPoints: 137

I honestly can't tell if you are serious or being sarcastic. 

I hope you are being sarcastic a high school kid shouldn't have to defend an innocuous statement such as "I like Ohio" even once let alone twice.  Especially when that kid is already committed to Michigan.

February 8th, 2013 at 9:32 PM | Im not being serious.Thanks (Score:2 Normal)
redwhiteandmaize
Joined: 02/04/2012
MGoPoints: 1048

Im not being serious.Thanks for noticing my sarcasm.This was posted yesterday.

"Are you an official here?Because you've officially given me a boner."

February 8th, 2013 at 5:59 PM | Hey, Reon, we all say things (Score:3 Normal)
Wendyk5
Joined: 11/20/2008
MGoPoints: 3130

Hey, Reon, we all say things we regret. Let's move past this and beat Ohio! 

February 8th, 2013 at 6:02 PM | Rule #1: (Score:5 Normal)
EJG
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Joined: 04/04/2011
MGoPoints: 172

If you have nothing nice to say, say it about Ohio.

Michigan is and will always be every BIG schools' 
measuring stick.

 

 

February 8th, 2013 at 6:04 PM | My initial reaction to (Score:4 Normal)
BrownJuggernaut
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Joined: 10/02/2010
MGoPoints: 2791

My initial reaction to hearing what he said wasn't "I can't believe he said that" so much as "fuck, this kid is going to get so much shit for it." Isn't that sad? I was less worried about a player talking about Ohio State than I was about the reaction he was going to get for saying it.

Avatar is a reference to this. Go Blue!

February 8th, 2013 at 6:16 PM | Agreed. With Meyer recruiting (Score:2 Normal)
MosherJordan
Joined: 01/10/2011
MGoPoints: 243

Agreed. With Meyer recruiting more out of SEC country and being a spread guy, we have to get used to more grew up an Ohio fan but didn't get an offer from Ohio, so choose Michigan because we're still a major power in their back yard. Are we supposed to let ND have these guys because we can't stand a Michigan player having positive residual feelings about the school birthplace made it highly likely they would grow up liking. It's a little embarrressing how some Michigan fans reacted to this. People need to keep this all in perspective.

February 8th, 2013 at 7:32 PM | We've always dipped into (Score:2)
BrownJuggernaut
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Joined: 10/02/2010
MGoPoints: 2791

We've always dipped into Ohio. I'm pretty sure that we've had kids who have grown up Ohio State fans and had strong feelings towards Ohio before that have committed to Michigan and we will in the future. It's not our job to rip the kid for this feelings, but to help him change his feelings, and grow that love for Michigan.

Avatar is a reference to this. Go Blue!

February 8th, 2013 at 6:06 PM | Simply signing a LOI doesn't (Score:3 Normal)
YoOoBoMoLloRoHo
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Joined: 11/01/2012
MGoPoints: 1002

make a kid a Michigan Man. While I'm not crazy about that phrase, it implies a level of maturity and discipline that the program cements into guys over time and not on NSD.

He'll learn and grow to a point that the comment seems really silly to him in a year. Hoke will mold him as a person.

Bigger question about his ultimate cover skills ...

"Everybody wants to be a hero, so to speak.  But it takes everybody."  - Charles Woodson

February 8th, 2013 at 6:07 PM | Some people are just the (Score:5 Normal)
Laser Wolf
Joined: 07/09/2008
MGoPoints: 1694

Some people are just the worst. The kid grew up in Ohio. He was hard-coded to be a Buckeyes fan. We gladly took in a number of lifelong Ohio fans after Tressel left. It's all about how they play once they don the winged helmet. Anyone griping about Reon Dawson needs to gain a little perspective.

February 8th, 2013 at 6:08 PM | If Michigan fans are real fans (Score:5 Normal)
GoBluePhil
Joined: 09/15/2011
MGoPoints: 313

remember this young man committed to your school. Support him all you can. If you are making threats or sending texts or tweets to him that are not supportive, you are no better than all the idiots you talk about from OSU. Leave the kid alone.



Mr. Dawson, welcome to the University of Michigan. Thanks for choosing us.

February 8th, 2013 at 6:14 PM | This is a great response.  He (Score:-1 Overrated)
February 8th, 2013 at 6:15 PM | First of all, let me express (Score:4 Normal)
STW P. Brabbs
Joined: 08/27/2008
MGoPoints: 2409

First of all, let me express my agreement with the notion that Dawson is 17 years old and it doesn't really matter too much what he says about Ohio State.  If he's still talking about being a Buckeye fan in a year or two, I'll be a bit concerned.  Kids will be kids, indoctrination runs deep in the Worst State Ever, etc., etc.  No big deal. 

But is no one else going to say anything about the fact that his explanation is completely full of shit?  Did I miss an intermediary clarification that the quote attributed to him was inaccurate?  Dawson talks about being a Buckeye fan until he dies, and specifically references playing Ohio State, so there's no chance in hell that what he really meant was that he loves the State of Ohio.  

I like the sentiments about Coach Hoke and becoming a Michigan Man.  But it's another example of being 17 and not knowing when to stop talking that he tries to completely explain away his comments as a misinterpretation. 

February 8th, 2013 at 6:32 PM | Yeah, I'm in your court on (Score:-1 Flamebait)
February 8th, 2013 at 7:12 PM | I'm reasonable and I believe (Score:-1 Trolling)
February 8th, 2013 at 7:36 PM | Says the guy who purposely (Score:5 Normal)
Butterfield
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Joined: 01/15/2011
MGoPoints: 1948

Says the guy who purposely tried to generate controversy by implying that Hoke and his staff were oversigning. ....

Nothing "legalistic" about seeing a kid that is lying and not being all that impressed by it. 

The swag is back. 

February 8th, 2013 at 7:41 PM | I was having fun with mine, (Score:-1 Trolling)
February 9th, 2013 at 12:01 AM | Well, you definitely were a (Score:1 Normal)
M-Wolverine
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Joined: 10/04/2009
MGoPoints: 38878

Well, you definitely were a master baiter.

"I love him, he's a great coach, he's a great mentor, he's a great friend. He's every single thing you want a college coach to be, and he does it flawlessly." -David Molk

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