New Demar Dorsey Freep Story (Interview)
You have to love it when a kid talks like this. Hopefully he stays trouble free and erases his past from everyone's memory. He deserves a fresh start.
“My goal right now is to show everybody I’m not that person who I was a couple years back then, hanging with the wrong crowd and stuff like that, showing that I’m more focused,” Dorsey said Thursday in an exclusive interview with the Free Press. “I’m focused. I’m ready to move on with my life to bigger and better things.”
http://www.freep.com/article/20100204/SPORTS06/100204069/1354/SPORTS/A-…
Edit:
They added more with interviews from his dad and coach.
Demar Dorsey said he felt he could trust Rodriguez after hearing him comment on his legal troubles Wednesday. Dorsey watched his news conference online. “I was just happy he defended me how he did,” Dorsey said.
“If four years down the line and he’s a No. 1 draft pick and he’s helped Michigan win the national championship, this is a moot point,” James said. “We’ll all speak of how Michigan did a great job of developing the young man.”
February 5th, 2010 at 8:49 AM ^
What would everyone's reaction be had he been an OSU comittment?
I think the kid deserves a schollie and deserves to play here. I think college football and college coaches are just the thing for kids like Dorsey.
That said, this kid is clearly a risk. I'm not 100 percent sure its really worth it. Anyone who didnt think him signing here wouldnt be controversial was willing ignoring the kids past in favor of being able to brag on NSD or are being as partisan as sharp himself or the tool bags at the buckeye battle cry.
Again, if, hypothetically, Treseel had snake oiled Dorsey, most everyone here would have gotten over their Creeper Crush on the kid and posters like, well I wont name names, but at least a dozen come to mind, would be filling the forum up with threads joking about the new Maurice Clarrett rolling in C-Bus.
Again, I like the kid. And I'm proud the school I support is willing to take risks. But, if we're going to recruit kids like this, we need to be prepared to take our lumps.
I guess I am not that pissed about all this hullabaloo because I saw this coming a mile away if Dorsey came here.
Its up to the Rodriguez, the program, the kid and the university to make this work. I give it only a 50/50 chance, but a lot of that is colored by the insanse recruiting attrition we have had over the last 5 years or so.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:22 AM ^
I would be much more worried about filling the program with the 'wrong' type of kids if RR didn't have a history of dropping players at the first sign of trouble. Everyone knows the examples, but it's obvious that RR has zero tolerance for mistakes while in his program. I doubt he would risk Dorsey if he didn't believe fully that the player has turned a corner and is willing to push himself.
We all did dumb shit as kids. Dorsey's situation was different than mine (i grew up a white kid in suburbia) but had I been caught doing some of the dumb stuff I did my record wouldn't be much different than his. I grew up. I assume he will also.
This is a far cry different than Watson and MSU's history. Watson wasn't 16 when he put a kid in the hospital and ended a hockey players future. Watson was a convicted felon with a violent crime. Watson was welcomed back with open arms and did it again.
Had OSU landed this kid, I doubt his past would have even been reveled unless he screws up in college.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^
His past has been fairly common knowledge. It didnt reveal itself suddenly on NSD. Unless you chose to ignore it during the process. I didnt and knew the Wednesday was going to be a shitstorm if Dorsey was comitted.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:18 AM ^
I knew of it from this board. I don't subscribe to rivals or scout, so perhaps it was on there. But had he committed to OSU, would any of the local media questioned Tressel during his press conference?
Again, I do think it's valid to question his past. I'm only comfortable because RR has shown a zero tolerance stance.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:33 AM ^
How is he a risk?
February 5th, 2010 at 10:11 AM ^
Is this a serious question?
It cant be.
But, I will answer it. He's a kid who took part in home break ins, even after he was caught once.
Yes, he's been out of trouble since and deserves a schollie and deserves to play here, but you're fooling yourself if Rodrirugeuz isnt taking a risk or going out on a limb to bring this kid in here.
I hope it works out. I want it to work out. I think this is partly what college football is about. And I trust our coaches.
But, its naive to think this kid isnt a risk.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:08 AM ^
Come on man, with that logic everything in life is a risk. The kid's proven himself for over two years now. Give him a break.
February 5th, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^
Well, considering i have repeatedly said he not only deserves a schollie, but deserves to play football here, I think I am giving the kid a break, not that it really matters what I do or say.
it still doesnt change the fact that Michigan and Rodriguez are taking a chance or a risk here. I gamble all the time. Risks are often so worth taking. I dont think risk is a bad thing. And, I trust the coaches know what they're doing. Just keep him away from shady characters, like myself, and he'll be fine I think.
And I posted in this thread just to point out that if Dorsey comitted to OSU, we would be making the next Maurice Clarett jokes.......i am not intending to trash the kid. Not at all. Like I said, college football is about giving kids of all kinds a chance to work hard for a better life.
February 5th, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^
Your point about good and bad risk is well taken. My apologies.
February 5th, 2010 at 8:49 AM ^
really rooting for this kid, I hope he proves everyone wrong.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:34 AM ^
"Schneider, the prosecutor, told the Free Press that Dorsey’s burglary cases were property crimes, not violent crimes, and he received the same kind of consideration her office gave to many juveniles."
This pretty much takes away the idea of Dorsey skating through his troubles b/c he's a football player.
February 5th, 2010 at 9:55 AM ^
Eh, not really. If you read about two paragraphs below that they do talk about how one of the considerations was that the was a star football player. They even presented the homeowner with that in attempt to get the homeowner to be satisfied with lower charges sought. That said, it's an EXTREMELY common thing to do with juveniles, and not just because they are good at football. They would do the same thing if a kid is a really good student.
February 5th, 2010 at 10:04 AM ^
I thought this statement by the prosecutor was the most interesting. Earlier in the article, the writers claimed Dorsey received "special consideration" and "breaks," a false statement according to the prosecutor. Alternative (diversion) programs aimed at rehabilatation rather than incarceration are fairly common for juvenile offenders. This is not "special" treatment. As the article states, most juvenile offenders eventually clean up their act.
So, the article is more balanced and better researched than the earlier Sharp article but still slanted and inaccurate.
Dorsey appears guilty of some bad behavior. But he was a juvenile, only 16, and apparently not guilty of any violent crimes (if any since he was never convicted) - more than can be said for a large number of MSU football players. Moreover, the incidents occurred 2 years ago. There's absolutely no controversy here - none whatsoever. Dorsey deserves a chance in life and Rodriguez took the most ethical action by giving him that chance. The FREEP has been extremely unethical, biased and even slanderous in their reporting of the matter. Apparently, in their view, we should just throw away all kids who have any trouble with the law.
The FREEP's actions are self serving and disgusting. It's disappointing that President Mary Sue Coleman hasn't been critical of the FREEP after such slanderous articles directed at a new UM student.