Lewan v. Gholson story

Submitted by psychomatt on

I don't know where the thread went, but here is the story about what Lewan supposedly said to Gholson on Saturday. This is taken from an MSU message board. The reason I am posting this is I didn't want anyone to think that the rumor that was posted here a few minutes ago is in any way true. It is not.

This story is a non-story, and the media is kind of shamelessly trying to keep this one going. I really hope this puts it to bed once and for all.

William Gholston was called "Tom" by Lewan during the game (he mentioned that in the post game). Some in the media are taking this as a racial slur as in "Uncle Tom". That is not what actually was meant when Lewan said it. From last weeks Red Cedar Rumblings (sorry for quoting paid content, but I think it's worth it so that this story dies):

**Will Gholston was a Michigan fan growing up. He was also close to committing to the Wolverines at one point during his recruitment … until a fateful trip to Ann Arbor.

"I was there on a recruiting trip," Gholston said. “They were calling me Tom and junk. That messed me up. I was sitting there talking and they keep saying, ‘Tom.’ I was looking back like, ‘Who is this guy talking to, my name isn't Tom?’ After that I started coming back to Michigan State a lot.

“It made an impact. That wasn't the biggest part, but how can't you remember my name? Call me William, Will, or call me ‘2.’ That's cool, too. Not Tom. My name doesn't even start with a ‘T’. I was going to Michigan a lot. Michigan was high on my list for a while. It was like Michigan and Michigan State, neck-and-neck. They were in my top three. That freaked me out. They didn't even know my name and I had been coming up there for three weeks. I was close to going to Michigan."

He was trying to get under Gholston's skin by calling him something that he knew bothered him during his recruitment. Not a racial slur.
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Section 1

October 17th, 2011 at 11:09 PM ^

...what I am gathering is that Gholston mentioned to his circle of friends or other confidantes that Lewan was calling him "Tom" during the game.  And that either one of that circle of friends, or perhaps even Sharp himself, mistook that name for the old-fashioned racial derogation ("Uncle Tom").  And that (Did Sharp really do this?  did he do it and then take it down?) Sharp then blogged about Lewan using a [non-specified?] racial epithet as a precusor to the punching incident.  (Sort begs the question about Gohlston trying to tear Denard Robinson's head off, but whateva.)  And the interwebz being what they are, the story quickly morped into Lewan somehow using the "N" word.*  It was false; a slur on Lewan.

So naturally I am looking for confirmation as to whether this episode of acute malignant journalistic malpractice can be attributed to Sharp.  Hopefully it can.  If not, let's help further kill it right here and right now.

*Be advised; never use the word if at all possible.  If you use it, be fully prepared for the consequences which may be beyond your control.  There are only a very few poeple, including Spike Lee and Braylon Edwards, who are permitted use of the word under ordinary circumstances.

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denards40time

October 18th, 2011 at 2:55 AM ^

I agree that what Gholston did is completely deserving of a two game suspension but I really think that everyone is overreacting and taking this too far. What he did to Denard was pathetic and in my eyes, by far the worst thing he did. Punching Lewan was not that bad at all. If we remove our biased for our players, Lewan clearly pushes Gholstons head into the ground while hes down, (we were lucky that wasn't called because that is clearly a personal foul) and then Gholston gets up and punches him. We need to stop pretending that he was trying to kill Lewan or something. Lewan was wrong and Gholston reacted very stupidly but to call him a thug and talk about how stupid he is, is unfortunate and frankly, hypocritical. I dont believe that people on this board were callin Jonas a thug and stupid for punching another player or Greg Mathews when he kicked the Oregon player or punched the Florida player. Things like that happen and I agree its unacceptable and he should be suspended but too many people are making this into more than it is. The far bigger play is the helmet pull. Thats far worse and more likely to cause injury than a punch.

Secondly, while I dont believe that Lewan called him 'Tom' in a racist way by any means (if he even called him that), a white guy calling a black player 'Tom' is always going to be taken that way when it clearly isnt his name. I dont believe that Lewan would call him that at all but using the "he plays with african americans" as a reason why doesnt help defend him, it looks stupid. All division teams are going to have african americans, more than likely are going to be a majority black. Using that as proof isn't logical. (see Buck Burnette, Bill Romanowski, etc) I think mentioning this story and getting it out would go a much farther way to clearing the young mans name.

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BigBlue02

October 18th, 2011 at 3:54 AM ^

1st off, pushing someone's head into the ground isn't a personal foul. There is also a reason you get suspended a game for punching someone and nothing if you push someone's head into the ground. I am guessing you have never been punched in the neck. It hurts. A lot.

Second, a white guy calling a black guy "Tom" isn't going to be taken in a racial way unless you are dumb.  It doesn't even make sense in a racial way. There are plenty of racist comments Lewan could have made towards Gholston, with one name being pretty obvious. Anyone thinking this is racist doesn't know what it means.

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