Bacon on WTKA
He's standing by his soon to be published book, which featured comments about Silas Redd's travels to USC.
"No retraction," John said. He has checked his notes, reflective of interviews with Penn State players. He had multiple sources. The sources all volunteered the information. He was not making a goal of investigating USC.
He invited a lawsuit if any of the parties felt defamed.
A podcast should be available later today. I'll post a link when one becomes available.
You can preorder the book by going through his website to the Amazon portal:
Edit: podcast link HERE.
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:19 AM ^
side note: I saw a youtube video a while ago that showed putting duct tape over someone's mouth does not do anything and can be easily removed by moving your mouth around
August 23rd, 2013 at 12:23 PM ^
I'm not allowed to comment towards Section 1. He's supposed to do the same.
August 23rd, 2013 at 12:41 PM ^
Your promise not to comment towards me (you're hardly complying, if it is in fact the case) may be a term of your probation with the MGoMods. But don't drag me into your disciplinary issues. I'm not living under any special MGoRules.
August 23rd, 2013 at 9:37 AM ^
So, you thought he might not stand by his soon to be published book? What about economics do you not understand? This guy now makes a living writing controversial books. He knows what he is doing.
August 23rd, 2013 at 9:44 AM ^
No, I didn't expect him to retract anything. So the rest of your trashtalking is largely moot.
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:07 AM ^
Ok, then I'm not sure what your point is then, other than to carry on with your crusade and get more use out of your knee guards.
August 23rd, 2013 at 2:55 PM ^
I love you
August 23rd, 2013 at 3:01 PM ^
Warms my heart. And gives me hope for humanity.
August 23rd, 2013 at 9:46 AM ^
I think the OP is just shedding a little more light, directly from the authors mouth, on a he said/he said aspect of the book. I don't think anyone thinks that Bacon was going to say, " USC is right, I was wrong....Redd flew commercial"
August 23rd, 2013 at 9:45 AM ^
when it is only truth/facts being said or written
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:14 AM ^
haha what? in none of his books has ever provided proof of most of the truly contreversial things. He has notes from anonymous people within penn state, who probably are not big fans of redd and no legitimate proof. No flight log, no pictures of snoop dog/lion, nothing that proves anything. You can choose to believe him, I don't after some things he reported about Michigan got proven false, but to say they are facts with no doubt is absurd.
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:31 AM ^
Bacon was fairly honest in his reporting on UofM with regards to RR...just because it was our home team under the microscope doesn't make his interviews false...you cannot accuse the guy of lying/twisting stories to sell more books without proof, because that makes you look just as accusational as anyone else who doesn't like the outcome of a certain story/investigation based on interviews...if the interviewee lied to Bacon that isn't on him, but Redd going to USC where there is already a trail of cheating leads me and most people to believe his reports are accurate
August 23rd, 2013 at 12:17 PM ^
I didn't dislike Bacon's take on Michigan because it was my team, I disliked it because I thought it was shoddy reporting and intentionally misleading. There were discussions on here when the book came out and I remember there being things that were proven wrong, not just speculated against. But regardless of my feelings my comment was in reply to the poster proclaiming the facts reported by Bacon as truth when the reality of the situation is that there is no proof on either side. Honestly I believe that USC and Kiffin would cheat, that doesn't make Bacon right in this particular instance but there is no proof he was wrong either, its a matter of judgement at this point, not fact. I didn't accuse Bacon of lying, but if you get an interview from a potentially bias source you should provide other evidence beyond the interview to back it up. Penn State had a reason to dislike redd and USC, so without furhter proof I'm not going to just believe interviews from the PSU side either.
August 23rd, 2013 at 4:53 PM ^
I lost respect for Bacon when he not only did a 180 about the coaching change but lied about it afterwards. It's one thing to be skeptical initially and then come around in favor (as Brian was here) - that's understandable. But Bacon publicly criticized the firing and then, a few months later, flat-out denied saying the things he'd been quoted in the papers. He even attacked fans who pointed out his inconsistencies. He came off to me as a guy who doesn't have the courage to admit he was wrong.
August 23rd, 2013 at 9:48 AM ^
It's controversial to assert that Southern Cal football gives illegal benefits to recruits?? I think you could throw a dart at a USC roster ten times and hit a guy who received illegal benefits with every throw.
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^
You're missing the point. The point is a real journalist doesn't rely on hearsay to prove allegations, he goes to the source to get their position on the matter. You don't rely on "well why would the guys who stayed at Penn State and were ticked off Silas Redd transferred make up this plausibly believable story?" You engage in journalism to attempt to find out the truth. All this makes me wonder what crap Bacon has written about Michigan this time around.
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:03 AM ^
If it's true that multiple sources indepenently volunteered the information then I have no problem with him including it in his book. "Real journalists" also don't believe everything that the person accused of a misdeed says. Is he supposed to have gone to USC, have them deny the allegations, and take that as stone cold fact?
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
Regarding your last question: no. Of course not, but he's obligated as a non-partial provider of the facts to ask them for their position on the matter. Unless he's concerned their position will harm his book, at which point he ceases being unbiased.
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:21 AM ^
First, I think I do hope that JUB went to USC and asked them about the story. And sure, they may have denied it, and sure you weigh that denial and you go on with your writing.
I have to say, "I think" that I would hope John did that, because I don't know what he actually wrote, yet. I'll find out on September 3 or thereabouts. There's not much controversy if John wrote, "Several of Redd's PSU teammates told me that he flew to Los Angeles on a private jet arranged by Snoop..." That seems to be a lock.
Beyond that, if John wrote as a matter of fact that Redd did the private jet-flight, basing it on his interviews with the PSU players, then that assertion of fact -- and a likely NCAA violation -- might merit some more discussion. (Would it be another major violation for USC football while on probation? A death penalty offense? I gotta believe that people aren't going to let this die easily.)
Interesting to me at this time is how and why USC got their jockstrap in a twist at this particular time. Did a jounalist get look at a galley proof of Fourth and Long, and call Lane Kiffin? Or did USC know this was coming, because they knew that they had been approached by Bacon on this very subject? Or -- let's be open to all possibilities -- something else?
It will be very interesting.
Two other things I am hoping at this time: (1) this controversy over USC "recruiting" helps to draw attention to the book and helps drive sales, and (2) a USC recruiting scandal (another?!?) doesn't overshadow what I expect will be some very interesting discussion on the larger state of D-1 college football.
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
All the mods at The Wolverine got advance copies, and I understand that advance copies have been sent around to media members (Dan Wetzel commented on the book a month ago on Twitter). Also, excerpts have been appearing in, I believe, the Wall Street Journal. But maybe it's the NYT.
August 23rd, 2013 at 1:04 PM ^
It was the Journal, that recently excerpted a part of Fourth and Long. Discussing Penn State at length, but not the part about Silas Redd flying to LA.
August 23rd, 2013 at 2:59 PM ^
My guess is that independently volunteered means less than you think it does. Why would multiple players randomly bring up redd without being prompted? I'm guessing he asked specifically about it and the situation and they responded in the affirmative. Obviously this is pure speculation, I just think independently volunteered is a rather vague term.
August 23rd, 2013 at 3:14 PM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^
First of all you clearly don't understand the definition of hearsay.
Second, do you really think Redd or Kiffin are going to admit this on the record? Of course not, so Baccon went with other sources that he deemed credible (ie. people who talked to Redd at the time, etc.) This happens in almost every news story in the history of journalism and it makes me wonder what crap you have going on in your head.
August 23rd, 2013 at 9:50 AM ^
My guess its not as bad as he wrote it, but there is enough shady stuff that happend, that there is no way USC will push the issue, since they have more to loose.
August 23rd, 2013 at 9:56 AM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:02 AM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:02 AM ^
He fabricated stories in 3 and out which leads me to believe he fabricated stories in this new book.
Sorry John, your journalism falls upon deaf ears here. I'm sure you're a great guy and instructor though. Don't take it personal.
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:28 AM ^
that can't be traced back to 97.1. If that is where you are collecting information, I feel bad for you.
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
Exactly, and Scout aka Tom Beaver, who was getting more access than he ever did to the program because of Bacon. No agenda there...
So yeah, cite me a source outside of them about this Michigan Mafia and their agenda to make sure RR failed.
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:50 AM ^
I love how you both are arguing without any specifics. You criticize 97.1, but your conversation sounds just like something those yahoos would say.
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:01 AM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 2:05 PM ^
Mike Rosenberg. Not Rothstein.
August 23rd, 2013 at 2:56 PM ^
wow...just...wow on my mistake...Rothstein is the man where rosenberg...yeah...
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:57 AM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 10:20 AM ^
I'd like to know so when I get up will to continue reading the book of the dark years, I can pick it out.
(Being a Fierce Pragmatist, I can only read a chapter or less at a time because it relives traumatic memories, and even then only after a couple glasses of single malt.)
August 23rd, 2013 at 11:09 AM ^
There was one story about how upset a player was for getting benched at halftime of a game. (I want to say it was Threet). However, said player started and played the majority of the second half of the game and was not in fact benched.
August 23rd, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^
2008, at Penn State.
Threet, teary-eyed in the locker room, is approached by coaches, trying to figure out if he is injured. They confirm that he is not injured. Bacon reports that coaches said to Sheridan in the halftime locker room, "You're in."
Sheridan did not play the first series in the second half; Threet started. But (perhaps as soon as he was warmed up, I don't know) Sheridan then took over in the net series.
You should stick to posting your pointless and juvenile .gif images, and not play with big-boy ideas, chief.
August 23rd, 2013 at 2:08 PM ^
Wow. This is like someone with a PPO taunting the subject of said PPO so you can have them arrested. (Last line only)
August 23rd, 2013 at 2:14 PM ^
Bullshit. Threet was held out of the next 2 games due to injury, per the coaches.
Bacon fabricated this story, or confused games.
Furthermore, Threet's 1st half in Happy Valley was the best half of football we got at QB all year. You mean to say he was pulled?
August 23rd, 2013 at 2:57 PM ^
As we say in research science, got proof?
August 23rd, 2013 at 3:16 PM ^
Yes, my proof that he was not pulled at the half is the fact that he started the 2nd half.
August 23rd, 2013 at 3:38 PM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 4:04 PM ^
http://www.mlive.com/wolverines/football/index.ssf/2008/10/threet_injures_elbow_again_1.html
Steven Threet started the game well for the University of Michigan football team, leading the Wolverines to 17 first-half points against No. 3 Penn State.
But in the third quarter, the Michigan quarterback re-injured his throwing elbow, and gave way to backup Nick Sheridan. For the second game in a row as an injury replacement, Sheridan was ineffective...
...Threet's right throwing elbow appeared fine Saturday until the quarterback took a shot from defensive tackle Abe Koroma. After that third-down play, Threet walked over to the sideline, his arm hanging by his side.
"He lost complete feeling in it, couldn't throw," Michigan quarterback coach Rod Smith said. "Sat him out a series, tried to rehab it over there, got the feeling back, then he got hit on it again."
Bacon's account is 100% bullshit. According to the fucking COACHES Threet was pulled in the 3rd quarter because he got injured.
Again, for emphasis: BACON'S ACCOUNT IS EITHER CONFUSED (IE, what game it was) OR A LIE.
August 23rd, 2013 at 4:17 PM ^
August 23rd, 2013 at 4:23 PM ^
Basically, in order for Bacon's account to be true, you need to ignore that Threet started the third quarter, that he visibly faked an injury, the coaches then went back on their decision to pull him (because Threet came out for another series), and then Rod Smith lied to the press.