Minnesota players threaten bowl boycott over suspended teammates

Who saw the video are all saying it was clearly consensual. The video came out and she was embarrassed and said stuff like, "I would never do that with black guys". Now in the video she is yelling "give it to me" multple times and "I can handle the whole team" and other stuff that clearly shows consent. The reason why there were no charges on illegally filming was because in the film one of the players asks are you ok to be on film and she says "yes". Now a few days later it gets out and she says they took advantage of her because she had been drinking.

I think the boycotting players have a point. 

It's like that scene in Rudy, only with rapists.

Dp

Dp

It's like that scene in Rudy, only with rapists.

Why does Minnesota have to be my second favorite team...

Guilty until proven innocent.  In today's political climate, an accusation is an assumption of guilt.

this train was pulled almost every weekend. Sad, but true. But in this era, it seems way out of step with how the world has evolved. Consensual gang bangs are not common, in any generation. Seems wierd for it to be so open and in your face. I mean how can this team show unity over such an embarassing issue. OK, but we at MGoBang can judge fore ourselves ... please show us the videos !!!

This is a hard conversation to have without getting into politics.

This is also a huge deal in the college sports world, which this blog is centered around.

When I first saw this, I thought the Minnesota players were crazy. Of all the hills to die on, guys accused of rape? There are so many issues that college athletes get the shaft on that are less controversial.

Yet something is odd here. I've read a couple of the articles about this and it's difficult to determine what exactly is involved, but there were five players initially accused and suspended that did not set this off. 

Five more players have been suspended. Did they assault this girl? Did they actively try to intimidate her, as a certain former Michigan OL was alleged to have done? Did they suppress evidence?

If the answer to one of these questions is yes, I could see a suspension being warranted. If the answer to all the questions is "no" or "um, no idea, but they were there" then this protest becomes much more legit.

It is odd that some are being expelled (presumably being found to have committed the crime alleged) and that some are merely being suspended. Why the difference? 

From what the players said in their statement, it looks like they don't have all the information, either. So it's possible that they could look really bad if the five extra suspended players were involved in the alleged assault or if they attempted to suppress the crime. But the evidence is not available and these guys are basically being punished when nobody is able to properly address that evidence.

And that may be a hill to die on. I don't know. 

This may get worse before it gets better.

Not the type of thing we need to see here. Arm chair sexual assult adjuicating by third parites that are predomenently male. Sports blogs are not the place for this.

Can a guy ask an honest question here about sexual relations/situations, where multiple people of the same sex (let's say heterosexual, cis, men), are involved? Said question is possibly about the intrigue of it. User "Mongo" may have some insight here.

wow. not sure what to think here. seems like the guys would have had some sort if legal ramifications had they actually been a part of what's being alleged, but I also know that it's rare that sexual assault cases actually get settled in fair ways. it's so difficult to convict, which is bullshit, but it often let's criminals off easy. that could potentially be the case here, or it could also be a false allegation. very sticky situation. due to the subjectivity of it, I'm not sure that I can disagree with the decision of the administration or the students. the AD might truly feel that laws were broken and the courts messed it up, and he has every right to act on that given our legal system's precedent for not convicting sexual assault defendants. but on the other side, the kids have every right to not only disagree with that assessment but act as well and stand with their teammates. in a way I'm proud of and upset at both groups at the same time.

They do realize that a girl is accusing these players of gang rape which in my experience is not a charge women like to be a part of for many very good reasons. Stay the fuck away from this one boys cause your goin Molly Hatchet flirtin with disaster. As far as I'm concerned if I were an administrator in that school we would tell the bowl officials now because there is still time, Find another team because this one doesn't deserve it. They clearly have some growing up to do and furthermore they are hurting every team in college football for it as well as demeaning some very deserved protests that need a boycott for good reasons.

This could make parents very, very, upset if this school caves in for these children. I personally as a parent would want to pull my daughter out of that school and send her to a University that respects the laws and the punitive arrangements that are given to those breaking the laws of this great country. 

you "always thought it would be for a better reason?"

The possibly inappropriate suspension and expulsion of 10 possibly innocent students is not a good reason???

If not, then wtf is a good reason?

I don't know if they are completely innocent or not.  But the evidence presented publicly so far suggests it is a strong possibility.  They were not charged with any crime after apparently exculpatory video evidence was produced.  Yet 5 were suspended and 5 were expelled anyway.  That should be extremely troubling to anybody who values fairness and justice.

The university needs to prove that all of these punishments were justified and that all the accused were afforded due process.  If it cannot do so, the accused need to be reinstated and all administrators involved should be fired.  And the university and administrators should face lawsuits.  If the accusations are proven false, the accuser should be criminally prosecuted.

 

I'm glad I'm not a Minnesota football fan.  I don't see any way for the football program to survive this with success moving forward unless the AD and President reverse their decision, and doing that would potentially create even more problems well beyond the football program.

Recruiting should be fun, and Tracy Claeys might just be looking for a job in the near future.

DEAR MICHIGAN ATHLETES: DON'T DO THIS.

The act/incident itself is the problem here, even if it was consensual.  The lesson here is don't do shit like this in the first place. Don't put yourself in a position in which you run the risk of it turning into an ugly accusation later on and/or picking up an STD from one of your teammates.  (Also I guess I shouldn't pass judgment on the habits of others but it also seems trashy and gross).  And sure as hell - DON'T FILM IT.

It's bad enough we have one school in the Big Ten that is synonymous with rape, we don't need another one.  If these Minnesota players turn out to be falling on their sword for 10 teammates who did in fact, rape a girl, that's a black eye that will mar the program for decades.  So, Michigan athletes - take note and don't do anything stupid.

Problem is some of these investigations, and I use that term loosely, are kangaroo courts where the accused gets
no due process and his future destroyed. The system needs reform because everyone is running to hang people on nothing more than an accusation. Now don't everyone go and get all offended because I suggest we have due process. That is what separates democratic nations from totalitarian regimes. Embrace it.

I dont understand why universities ever wanted to get involved in this title IX stuff. There is a legal process in place to handle these matters, and getting involved opens the door for grandstanding on hot button or politically popular issues that don't offer due process, but a biased action fueled by an underlying desire to see a certain outcome. I get that the legal process doesn't get it right sometimes and isn't always "fair" in the eyes of one side, but universities playing judge, jury and executioner is asking for trouble.

Looks like the players have backtracked on most or all of their demands, and they will play in the game minus the 10 suspended players.