Extended McDowell Signing Day Drama

Submitted by JeepinBen on

According to TomVH on twitter Malik McDowell has yet to sign and send in his LOI. It's been publicized that Malik wants to attend to MSU (and announced State during a ceremony this morning) but his parents (specifically his mother) don't think that MSU is the best place for him. Tom's latest tweet (@TomVH)

"There is definite drama with the Malik McDowell situation. HS coach doesn't know ehn he'll send it (sic) in letter of intent"

I'm a bit torn here. There's obviously something going on with this young man and his family that involves a huge life choice. However, possible SPARTY NO on NSD just after star rankings started to matter?

gwkrlghl

February 5th, 2014 at 2:24 PM ^

It's fairly obvious Malik wants to go to MSU and his parents don't want him going there and is unfortunately an extremely public disagreement.

They should've postponed his signing day ceremony if there was going to be this much drama surrounding it. I hope Malik gets to go to school where he wants, but parents are generally wiser than their 17 yr old children. Just unfortunate it's so public right now. This is a kitchen table conversation, not a national media conversation

991GT3

February 5th, 2014 at 2:33 PM ^

and work it out with his parents. If it takes a day, a week or a month he should do it. If I am Hoke, Meyers or Dantanio I would counsel him to do just that. it is NOT about the Universities but about HIM and what is best for him.

Pelinka2Voskuil

February 5th, 2014 at 3:55 PM ^

I think Hoke, Meyer and Fisher would be delighted if he took that tact as it keeps the door open that he'll sign with one of them instead.  Dantonio, of course, not so much.  While it should be about the kids making the right decision for themselves, most fans don't even have that perspective so it is hard to believe coaches who have seven figure contracts at stake always keep that perspective.

mackbru

February 5th, 2014 at 2:34 PM ^

I think it's always the parents' job to strongly advocate what is (in their view) best for the kid -- especially when the kid is still a kid. And 17-year-olds definitely are not yet adults. MM is a teenager who's still dependent on his parents and living under his mom's roof. But the parents, at this point, can't (and shouldn't) force him to choose one school over another. They should make their case forcefully, then make it again, then step back. 

The Dirty Nil

February 5th, 2014 at 2:37 PM ^

I feel bad for the kid. I could understand him and his parents disagreeing on a school choice, but for them to do it publicly would be extremely frustrating to me. Mom and dad need to let the kid go where he wants to, and support him.

Leonhall

February 5th, 2014 at 3:13 PM ^

Below regarding mcdowelll's mom and their so called argument and the issue with Dantonio and him supposedly getting kicked out of their house may be the funniest damn thing I've read in months. Feel sorry for the kid, but this is kind of entertaining....

CooperLily21

February 5th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^

Unless the mother is a lunatic, I can't help but sympathize with her.  It seems clear that both she and the father have identified an issue with the people Malik is hanging out with - they both publicly stated that they don't want him at MSU (his father said he would support him if that's where he wants to go, though).  So its clear at least to me that there is something going on, and that doesn't even touch upon the issues that the mother had with Dantonio and the whole recruiting process!

It obviously hasn't been handled well by his mother but I can't help think that Malik really needs to rethink his decision.  We probably had different upbringings, priorities, interests, etc. but I would find it very hard to ignore my mother's obviously serious misgivings about MSU.  I mean, I loved Michigan and always dreamed of going there but if my mom was adamant that I not go there it would have been extremely hard to go anyway.

markusr2007

February 5th, 2014 at 3:29 PM ^

I feel bad for the kid.  No need to undress in front of the media like this because of a family disagreement. It undermines the young man's integrity.

The boy will soon be 18. Why not let him make his first adult decision, and just let him play where he wants to?  If it's a mistake, fine, he will have ownership and responsibility for that decision.  If he succeeds, then he should get the credit and attaboys he deserves.

Sometimes you gotta let go and allow for success (or failure) to take form.

markusr2007

February 5th, 2014 at 4:31 PM ^

I believe he should act upon his preference. I'd love him to choose Michigan, but if it's MSU, Tennessee Tech or Augustana, then I wish him the best no matter what.   He's talented and will do well, I'm sure. It's a difficult choice perhaps, but I can't see how all this negative public commentary by the parents is helping.

ClearEyesFullHart

February 5th, 2014 at 4:41 PM ^

They probably feel like every other parent whose kids wind up at MSU.  I mean, the average sparty parents saved money with the best of intentions so that their kid could go to a good school.  In-state tuition is the same as Michigan's.  They raised them the best they could, they gave them all the resources they could muster and...Well...It's hard to admit that your kid is a disappointment.

So everyone involved...the kids, their parents, they try so hard to make everyone believe that this is a good option, that they are happy to be there/have their kid there.

But bottom line, they went to the big box store looking for a PS4/XBone and finding them sold out, they came home with a Wii U.  And lets face it, the Maddens are going to suck, and you'll never play Halo, but there are worse plights in the world than waiting for the next MarioKart.

At least that's what they tell themselves.

ClearEyesFullHart

February 5th, 2014 at 8:41 PM ^

A number of things happened.  The twins, actual work at work, and honestly Ace.  When I started doing those interest in basketball was pretty low.  Now basketball has really taken off, and Ace does such a terrific job with the previews that the "Way too early" previews dont really seem necessary.  Plus we're familiar enough with the Big Ten opponents that a "rest of the story" isn't really needed.  Maybe I'll try to beat Ace to the punch with our tourney opponents.

CodeBlue82

February 5th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^

When you don't have a torpedo bearing down on you, it can be wise to wait before making critical decisions to let pressures and passions settle. Time will often eliminate distractions, making it easier to see what's truly important and what isn't. Besides allowing the breathing room that individuals and families need and reducing uncertainty, time also makes it possible to get good counseling and professional help in resolving differences.

While I do not know this family at all, my advice would be to continue to lengthen their end game if they can and use the time to work with a good, experienced MFCC, or perhaps a trained pastor. They have far more at stake than the schools and coaches. Possibly someone from Wayne State would have no partisan ties, yet understand their problems and concerns very well.

 

ChalmersE

February 6th, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^

If true, for some reason this bothers me as much, if not more, that all the other stuff going on regarding his commitment. If you can't level with your teammate, then you've got major issues. It's one thing to say something like, "I'm not saying; wait and see."  It's an entirely different thing to tell your teammate, and one would have to think your friend, that you're going to school with him when you've already made up your mind otherwise.

bluesalt

February 5th, 2014 at 6:34 PM ^

I highly doubt you've met any of them. It's a kid and his parents disagreeing about a major life choice. Happens all the time. Only difference is that 100s of reporters and bloggers are constantly asking about it, and having a race to be the first to tweet about it. No one has done anything other than disagree... There's been no hint of benefits going anywhere, no drugs... Just a kid who wants one thing from school and parents who want another and aren't willing to give in yet. That's it.



Now go be holier-than-thou to people you've actually met.

Professor Sean…

February 5th, 2014 at 7:13 PM ^

MSU is awful.  Did you know that no student who has been accepted by the University of Michigan has ever gone to Michigan State?  It's hasn't happened and it never will.  U of M has better rankings than MSU in everything.

All the buildings at MSU look the same, yet at the same time they lack a unifying archectural theme that would be present at a superior university.  I went into one building on the MSU campus and it was ridiculously tiny! Losers!  I went into a different building on the MSU campus and it was way too big!  For what are they compensating?



I was talking about how all MSU students are knuckle-dragging mouth-breathers at a cookout over the summer. This MSU grad student overheard me and said that his program (elementary ed) was ranked number one in the nation.  What a cocky turd!  Rankings don't really mean anything anyway (Are you listening Northwestern?).  He is probably just some loser who couldn't hack it in a legitimate field.

I really love Tom Waits and I met this dude at a party who was wearing a Tom Waits shirt.  I struck up a conversation with him, but as soon as it came out that he attended MSU I had to walk away.  There's no way he could be capable of appreciating Tom Waits on the level that I do.  MSU people are the worst.

I hate that MSU people care so much about us.  They talk about us and make fun of us at every opportunity.  Obsessed much?

PizzaHaus

February 5th, 2014 at 7:34 PM ^

Yep, I'm with you all the way. Those Sparty fucks are so obsessed that they come to a Michigan site, register, and spend the time typing out a novella that they probably think was witty as all hell. 

Those guys are awful.

They've got a great elementary ed program, though, which no doubt makes them feel better about their absolute academic inadequacy in just about every area. And tiny dicks: never forget that they have tiny dicks. 

nowayman

February 5th, 2014 at 8:23 PM ^

posing as an insecure MSU grad that attempted to pass himself off as the stereotypical arrogant Michigan fan on a Michigan board.  

 

And if that's the case then he's probably fooling at least a few people.  I'm onto him, though.  

 

 

Professor Sean…

February 6th, 2014 at 5:07 PM ^

The answer, gentlemen, is neither!  I am the product of a community college and its university center.  Imagine, even MSU alumni can look their noses down at me!  I have always been a spineless fence rider, as I grew up liking U of M and MSU (though I do lean MSU when they meet).  I like reading MGoBlog, and I desperately wanted to feel like a well-endowed Michigan Man if only for a fleeting time.  Sadly, my need to overcompensate and write novellas betrayed my room temperature IQ and my tiny genitals.  I should have known better than to try to fit in with my betters so I cry your pardon.  Now that I’ve been found out I will yield and show myself out.