Support of Dorsey "2nd Chance" argument

Submitted by The Impaler on

I want Dorsey here as much as everyone else does, but we can we stop pulling out the 2nd Chance card like we actually care that he is getting away from a bad situation and coming up to rosy Ann Arbor?  Have you students read the crime reports around here?  Justin Feagin couldn't avoid it.  Can we just be transparent and say that we really want him because he is really good and will help us win football games.  If you are a Michigan football fan thats all you truly care about in this situation.  Stop acting like there is another reason that some of you are going out of control about this situation.

mattbern

June 9th, 2010 at 12:08 PM ^

Just because you don't care, it doesn't mean that nobody else does.  Sure, we would all like to have his talent on our football team, but I also think it would be a very good thing for him to go somewhere where he can start over and get away from some bad influences at home.

Crime Reporter

June 9th, 2010 at 12:09 PM ^

That is the biggest kick in the teeth of the whole thing.

It's become more evident one side doesn't know what the other is doing anymore and that is cause for concern.

jg2112

June 9th, 2010 at 12:16 PM ^

If this happened to Joe Stephens, an acclaimed chemistry phenom from Neola, Nebraska, no one on this board would care.

The OP is right.

UMdad

June 9th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^

I agree.  I would like to think that the University Admissions has some stories of kids they admitted who had borderline numbers, or some baggage to overcome, but there wouldn't be any outrage at all about this kid if you cut off his resume just before all of his football accolades were listed. 

wildbackdunesman

June 9th, 2010 at 12:31 PM ^

Actually, I would be upset with UofM if someone at my school offered a Nebraska chemistry whiz a scholarship, exciting the kid immensely, and then someone else at the school yoinked it out of his hands at the last minute.

Of course I know about this situation, because it is sensationalized with it involvong a football player and all of the media attention around the kid.  Yet, I still think it is a kick in the groin to a kid who was excited to come here and was expecting to come here.

03 Blue 07

June 9th, 2010 at 1:00 PM ^

To put it plainly, is that we are emotionally invested in Demar Dorsey. This is obviously because we follow football and recruiting, and there is clear validity to the "if he was XYZ and didn't play football, you wouldn't care." But my counterargument to that is, well, if, say I knew a kid like Demar Dorsey through my volunteer work or knew of him through a friend and didn't actually know him (because in this instance, I've never met DD), I'd be emotionally invested in that way as well. I see the cynicism-- we are only invested because he plays football. However, it doesn't change the fact that THROUGH football, I have come to care about this kid and want to see him succeed. Thus, being upset about what seems to be some injustice in the way the University has handled this.

Togaroga

June 9th, 2010 at 1:36 PM ^

I know a kid who recieved a massive (over $100,000) scholarship to UofM.  The student had a 4.1 GPA and finished second in the graduating class.  ACT scores were good, and the high school has a very solid academic track record.  That student did not get in because of some new bullshit arbitrary requirement.

That student absolutely should be a part of the university, as an alumnus, we'd be lucky to have that student among our ranks.  The admissions department was wrong...that pisses me off.

As people who love this university, does this piss you off too?

Drill

June 9th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^

No one would care because no one would know.  Are you saying if you read an article about a kid that was told he could attend Michigan as long as he made the grades, but then when he made the grades was told "hey nevermind, we don't want you now," you wouldn't feel bad for that kid?  Really?

Obviously people on the board care about it from a football perspective.  But to say that they only care about it because of football is completely unfair and ignorant.

wildbackdunesman

June 9th, 2010 at 12:35 PM ^

Actually, I would feel bad for any kid who had a scholarship offer taken away from him at the last moment.  I also feel worse if it is my school - UofM.  Sure the fact that it is a football player gets more interest, but it is still a move I don't like to hear.  UofM needs to get everyone on the same page to avoid a situation where this happens to a kid.

People talked about recruiting Dorsey being bad PR.  Well, yoinking his scholarship offer is also bad PR and makes the school look bad and the team.  It will certainly be used against the team during recruiting.

JD_UofM_90

June 9th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^

Joe Stephens name has not been plastered all over the press and associated with UofM, our coach and program as a negative issue.  The team/coach fought for him in the media and then got the rugged pulled out from under him.  Like it or not, this does impact the preception of the football team and how recruits will be considering us in the future.....  If he goes to a Florida school now and exceeds expectations, you don't think those schools will be using this sudden change of events against us with negative recruiting down the road.   Not a back breaker.  Just another round of ammunition to use to try and sway an 18 year old kid to your program....

mtzlblk

June 9th, 2010 at 6:19 PM ^

but if Joe Stephens were accepted at M, or provided an LOI that would indicate he was accepted and Joe turned down several other offers from prestigious chem programs across the nation, then began to prepare in earnest to attend UM, then M decided to rescind that offer, that would be a terrible thing to do to him.

If it happened and I heard about it, it would piss me off, though true not at the same level this does b/c I do not have a distinct interest in the state of the chem department at Michigan (especially after what they put me through with Organic Chem), but it would still bother me if they screwed him over.

gsimmons85

June 9th, 2010 at 12:19 PM ^

with the OP for the most part...

 

 unfortunately as you will see,  those who only care about football, wont admit it... and those that really have some personal reason to feel sorry for the kid, wont be believed...

dmccoy

June 9th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^

Truly, your post is the type of quality I would expect out of the Detroit Free Press. Because Justin Feagin blew a second chance does that mean we don't give another one to anybody else? I believe in second chances and at the very least think Demar is worthy of getting the second chance he was promised, regardless of whether he deserves it.

Would I want him if he wasn't a good football player? No, I wouldn't.

Would I want him if he was a great football player but the coaching staff thought he didn't have the character to play at Michigan? Again, no I wouldn't.

But that's not the case, he is a good player who the coaches did their homework on and felt he deserved a second chance.  Let him in.

notetoself

June 9th, 2010 at 12:29 PM ^

the freep? come on. the OP is not saying that the kid doesn't deserve a shot. he's complaining that some people are tending to act like the only reason we want him to come to michigan is so he can better his life. there are a lot of places where he can better his life. there is only one place where he can better our football team.

dmccoy

June 9th, 2010 at 12:43 PM ^

The OP said, "Have you students read the crime reports around here?  Justin Feagin couldn't avoid it.  Can we just be transparent and say that we really want him because he is really good and will help us win football games.  If you are a Michigan football fan thats all you truly care about in this situation.  Stop acting like there is another reason that some of you are going out of control about this situation."

The Feagin situation is irrelevant, and the OP knows it (or should). The OP also claims that fans only care about his possible impact on the football team, which is also untrue. Yes we want him because of his talent, but we also believe in honoring commitments to players and helping young men develop as a person. At least I believe that and I would go so far to say that Rich Rodriguez and his staff do to.

The OP paints a picture of Michigan fans being cutthroat and caring only about on-the-field impact. This is unsubstantiated at best and at worst is unture, and based completely on opinion and devoid of fact, just like the Freep.

notetoself

June 9th, 2010 at 1:33 PM ^

feagin is not irrelevant. the feagin example is a counter-argument to those who paint the picture that ann arbor is some safe haven where no one makes poor decisions.

i will agree that it's overkill by the OP to say "If you are a Michigan football fan thats all you truly care about in this situation."

Hair Raid Offense

June 9th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^

What pisses me off is how poorly this situation has been handled by the University.

It makes Michigan look bad when they pull the rug out from under a kid. I don't care if this was happening to Demar Dorsey, a 3-star receiver, a 5-star QB, or a back-up extra point holder; It's wrong. plain and simple.

notetoself

June 9th, 2010 at 12:25 PM ^

there is a stark difference between HOPING getting away from home will provide an opportunity for change, and acting like it's a foregone conclusion. it's not like RR is bringing him in for charity.

just because sandra bullock won an oscar doesn't mean every kid with a "troubled" past will turn their life around through football.

anyway, i HOPE demar can go on to be a productive member of society.

1329 S. University

June 9th, 2010 at 12:26 PM ^

Come on now!

I've been away from Ann Arbor for a while but just because one kid from Flordia couldn't stay out of trouble doesn't mean another can't. Plus Demar would have his cousin to help him out. Also when I was a student and read the crime reports it was "South Quad student pees in bushes." or "Sign stolen from Mosher-Jordan cafeteria."

Of course this is a different story to all of us becuase he's a football player - but that doesn't mean that if Joe Chem from NEB was getting the same shafting in the public none of us would come to his defense.

pdxwolve

June 9th, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^

DD can tell us what he knows, and how he feels, but the university would be way out of bounds to talk about the situation publicly, regardless of the negative image it presents to recruits, their parents and us fans.

The only thing RR will probably say is,  "Demar Dorsey will not be attending Michigan this fall." And we'll be left here wondering ...

Just like Marcus Witherspoon.

the_big_house 500th

June 9th, 2010 at 12:30 PM ^

He has the GPA to make it in, the right ACT range scores that Michigan looks for and has brought his grades up. This young man has been screwed over and its not justified. Its like your boss saying well you did exactly want I wanted you to do and more but I'm still not going to give you that raise. Its bull shit.

zerocool

June 9th, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^

I am upset and embarressed because the University of Michigan with all of our integrity and tried and true processes, extended an offer to a student athlete to join the Michigan family and at (what seems to be) the last minute the University is leaving him out in the cold with (based on the interview) very little information or direction on the situation.  It is bad for the student athlete and it is bad for the image of the University.  I am a firm believer that if you give someone your word, you stick by it. 

Mr. Robot

June 9th, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^

The significance of Dorsey being a football player only makes the matter public enough for us to know anything about it and have an opinion about it. I'd be upset if they did the same thing to any athlete or regular student.

Can you imagine getting a scholarship offer from the college of your dreams and then get a "Nevermind" after you did all that was necessary to get it? What we did here is even worse than some of the oversigning stuff that goes on.

maximus_spaniard

June 9th, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^

... so yes, I have no problem admitting that initially I cared more about his possible contributions in the football field than anything else. But after the media storm that came due to his commitment to Michigan, I actually started caring about his personal story, about his possibility of proving them wrong. And when I saw the LifeSkills video, I was completely sold. I really wanted him to succeed at UM, both in football and in his personal life.

Now I am left with just wishing him luck wherever he lands and I hope he proves all his doubters  wrong. Dreams of a No-Fly Zone at UM will have to wait.

O let BLEW it!

UMfan21

June 9th, 2010 at 1:34 PM ^

Pretty much summed it up.  But in addition I am disappointed that the University made a contract with him for a scholarship and then backed out.  Why is it, that players LOIs are binding, but a school can just yank away a kids dreams.  It doesn't seem right to me.

I believe it was Brian that said this reaks of incompetence and I have to agree.  Shame on the AD and admissions for not doing their homework and forcing this kid into an unfortunate situation.  That is the reason why I feel so strongly about this.

bouje

June 9th, 2010 at 1:26 PM ^

if you are looking for it.  Just because Justin Feagin got in trouble and couldn't avoid it doesn't mean that DD would have suffered the same fate.  From my vantage point it looks as if DD did as much as humanly possible to better himself and to get out of his bad situation. 

Why not bring up "Well Larry Harrison couldn't not help but flash people so you know that DD is screwed".

Finally don't tell me what I think.

Tacopants

June 9th, 2010 at 2:00 PM ^

I hope everybody has their jump to conclusions mat proudly displayed.

I would venture a guess that 99% of the people who are posting on this board, myself included, have no idea how this all went down.  The only person who seems to know maybe even 25% of the story is Brian.

You have no idea who dicked over Demar Dorsey, whether it was athletic staffers, the coaching staff, admissions, Mary Sue Coleman, the alumni, Lloyd Carr, or Dave Brandon.  For all anybody knows, James Earl Jones showed up in a Darth Vader costume and distracted everybody while accomplices wearing stormtrooper uniforms hacked the Matrix to screw over Demar Dorsey.

 

I get the need for RAGE RAGE INTERNET RAGE PETITION LETTER WRITE TAXATIONWITHOUTREPRESETNATION rabble, but I'd like to make a couple of points.

1. You don't know who is responsible, whether its everybody or just a select few individuals.  Firing off random shots to 4 different organizations and making blind accusations will get you very far.

2. It sucks that DD isn't coming to Michigan.  However, stop acting like the kid's future is FUCKING OVER because Michigan didn't end up taking him.  He's made the NCAA minimum, there are many other schools that will be fighting to add him to their incoming classes.  Ann Arbor, Michigan is not a super magical awesome place that will instantly transform him while say Knoxville, Tennessee will guaranteed ruin his shit (OMG Nu'keese!!!).  If he's going to succeed, he will succeed.  More power to him.