Mel Tucker Suspended Without Pay, Hearing Pending
I’m shocked it happened this fast, but viewed in the shadow of the Nassar incident also not surprised. Really hope they can get their act together organizationally, football be damned.
EDIT - changed title to reflect actual known state of things - LSA
September 10th, 2023 at 3:54 PM ^
LATE EDIT ~6:30PM Ann Arbor Time: Since I have the bully pulpit of a first comment, and the above Tweet has proven mostly inaccurate (he is suspended for now) I just wanted to swing back and say that Mel's defense that they had an "intimate relationship" is at once totally expected and disgusting. It's of course laughable, too.
The very idea that Brenda Tracy -- one of the most respected advocates against sexual violence in the world of athletics, who happens to look the way she does-- would decide to have a sexual relationship at her job, risking her entire reputation, just due to the pure magnetism of a married Melvin Gene Tucker II (aka Cigar Store Shrek aka Tricycle T aka Coach Tummy Tuck aka Horseshit Jeep)... is one of the least plausible defenses I can think of. In addition to the allegations themselves, Tuck's putting on an all-time shameless ass-showing, too.
September 10th, 2023 at 4:22 PM ^
Dantonio to assist with shuttling players from court hearings to games and setting bounties on Michigan players?
September 10th, 2023 at 5:48 PM ^
Dantonio also tasked with finding the threat.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:02 PM ^
And MSU flairs on r/CFB are unironically clamoring for Dantonio to come back.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:31 PM ^
There is dumb. There is unbelievably dumb and there is this kind of dumb. There was even a sitcom about a situation like this.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt15598908/
September 10th, 2023 at 7:59 PM ^
Funny you should say that since he is coming back. Assistant Head Coach for the next game.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:06 PM ^
If their program was in good shape…suspension.
Given their program is a relative dumpster fire- specifically for a $100mm contract - fired.
Actually helps them get out of that albatross of a contract “with cause”
If their recruiting was half way decent, would be curious if we could poach some talent.
Reminds me of the Chris Rock joke on clubs opening in a bad neighborhood…
Grand opening, week later, Grand closing!
Tuck comin’ ,Tuck goin’
Seriously though, can’t make this shit up. Guy is literally dumb enough to allegedly masturbate on a zoom call with an activist specifically focused on the prevention of sexual harassment/sexual misconduct in college athletics.
And literally… Tuck “cumming”
September 10th, 2023 at 10:24 PM ^
I can see why she would report this since it apparently occurred during more than one of her team presentations. Since he wasn't...um paying attention he can't be responsible for missing the message. Given past history I am sure he thinks he can beat this rap.
September 10th, 2023 at 9:29 PM ^
Pride apparently wasn't the only thing that came before the fall
September 11th, 2023 at 1:28 AM ^
Underrated comment.
September 11th, 2023 at 6:10 PM ^
Weaving the Dantonio quote into it is pure genius. The Tuck cumin comments are too easy. Whole nother level Putingrad.
September 10th, 2023 at 4:57 PM ^
Hey all, it looks like he was suspended and not fired. The tweet may be a little wrong.
PER ESPN
Sources: Michigan State suspends Mel Tucker amid harassment case
Ok, now you have the question who at MSU is saying he is fired and who is saying he is suspended?
September 10th, 2023 at 5:17 PM ^
Most likely will be the end result, and I imagine it will most likely be the case in the next week. Probably wants to make sure everything is done correctly and legally so they don't have to pay him any more of the insane contract. Emotionally, the right call is to fire him and never let him step foot on campus again. However I'm sure there's a lengthy process to this, especially with the $$$
September 10th, 2023 at 5:27 PM ^
If they suspended him with pay but behind closed doors are saying he is fired without finishing due process, that is not going to look good, and could likely result in a massive lawsuit.
What a dumpster fire of leadership.
September 10th, 2023 at 5:34 PM ^
Suspended without pay per AD Haller
5:09 p.m.: Haller announces, as expected, that Mel Tucker is suspended without pay
September 10th, 2023 at 5:57 PM ^
Leaks say he’s fired. Officially, he’s suspended w/o pay. Officially, that can be the only next step.
This is too good of an opportunity for MSU to get rid of an overpaid coach at a reduced cost so he is gone. No matter what the details are I assume he will sue after he’s fired with cause and there will be a settlement.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:11 PM ^
Reading between the lines, what changed in an investigation that began in December and was essentially completed in July? Someone got tired of waiting. What happened was the story leaked out and the school wasn't prepared to deal with the breaking news.
The news first broke around midnight Saturday which suggests a deadline in place and a source agreement on breaking the story. First off, the school's initial statement issued last night was non-responsive to the level of detail in the story currently known and MSU was caught off guard from a legal standpoint. The statement sought to give cover for details that were already public.
Again, Mel Tucker's legal status was also an issue putting Michigan State in a holding pattern until it could determine what public relations approach to take. So, I suspect that is the reason behind the initial report of the coach's firing and the revised report of his suspension. We shall now see what transpires. I fully expect Tucker to be dismissed before next Saturday.
September 10th, 2023 at 8:07 PM ^
That’s correct. I watched the AD’s press conference and it was a clown show. Asked why Tuck was suspended today, he said the situation had changed. But the only thing that changed was a reporter revealing details of investigation that ended in July. So what “changed” was that word got out. Then the interim president has the audacity to say “this isn’t the old Michigan State” when this is the exact same shit!
September 10th, 2023 at 5:43 PM ^
Given that these allegations were made a while ago and he admitted to investigators in March that he had an intimate relationship with Ms. Tracy, it's just a matter of time.
The last thing anyone should want is to employ someone accused of sexually harassing an advocate against sexual violence. This is just mind-bogglingly idiotic.
September 10th, 2023 at 5:52 PM ^
This is what inquiring minds want to know, right? They knew about this in March. They're suspending him now because word leaked and it looks bad? Am I missing something?
September 10th, 2023 at 6:48 PM ^
My first thought was that the leak came from MSU. Once they decided they were ready to fire him, they first wanted to make sure Tucker looked bad.
You may well be right, but I've been assuming they want to dump him and his contract.
September 10th, 2023 at 8:09 PM ^
It’s not unreasonably to assume MSU leaked something, in an attempt to get ahead of it, but didn’t I read that USA Today had gotten info from the accuser? If so, it sounds like Sparty maybe leaked it to ESPN knowing the story was about to break.
September 10th, 2023 at 6:13 PM ^
Intimate relationship? Doesn’t a relationship require some kind of agreement between two people? Unsolicited jerking off during a phone call doesn’t sound like a relationship to me.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:57 PM ^
You have obviously never had to call MARVIN..
September 11th, 2023 at 9:12 AM ^
Hey, at least his marriage is on solid footing.
Actually, his soon to be ex-wife will be taking half of everything he gets or has gotten from Staee.
September 10th, 2023 at 5:50 PM ^
They should have suspended him July 25th when the report came out. They let it hit the media now which makes it look like a coverup.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:18 PM ^
They let it hit the media now which makes it look like a coverup.
That is precisely what this is.
September 10th, 2023 at 11:14 PM ^
Yes, and coming on the heels of everything else that program and university have fumbled appallingly, at incalculable cost to hundreds of women, at this point they should just end their athletic department, at least as a D1 concern. Do a University of Chicago. I’m sure there are many people working in the department who are good and competent, and many athletes training and competing hard and being good people while they do it. But it seems like the whole thing has corrupted the university’s leadership beyond repair, to a greater degree than even Baylor. Let the existing teams wind down and then, club sports only for a couple decades.
September 10th, 2023 at 8:14 PM ^
They allegedly had a hearing set up for October. But was it to be a public hearing or some internal kangaroo court? If it was a public hearing, why wasn’t it listed on any publicly accessible calendar? And nothing had changed in the case between July and today, when the story broke. So Sparty’s timeline doesn’t add up.
September 10th, 2023 at 8:40 PM ^
Anyone else would have been suspended at the time the investigation STARTED, not at the conclusion. Usually that suspension is with pay, pending the results of the investigation. MSU slow rolled this to protect recruiting and the start of the season.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:48 AM ^
Exactly. This news is going to really hurt their #51 ranked 2024 class.
September 10th, 2023 at 5:55 PM ^
Whatever they're saying, it's safe assume he's fired. I would suggest reading the entire USA Today article
September 10th, 2023 at 7:34 PM ^
Cynical Take:
Gut feeling says Tucker and his team are aware of whatever "process" is in place (beyond the usual Circling of Wagons at MSU) and threatened litigation. Thus the "suspension". A suspension provides MSU and Tucker time to negotiate out of the bad contract vs. a long and litigious pathway where MSU gets roasted in the media (more than they currently are). This is something that the school and assuredly the B1G would want to avoid. Litigation related to any firing "for cause" would compel things to come out that MSU probably wants to remain invisible. A negotiated settlement (and probably a negotiated settlement with Brenda Tracy) by the school allows them to put Non Disclosure agreements in place (which would be on-brand for Sparty) and just keep that B1G gravy train rolling on.
September 10th, 2023 at 9:12 PM ^
Free Mel. Turns out consent isn't needed to masturbate on the phone, only on Zoom.
September 10th, 2023 at 5:20 PM ^
He is suspended pending out come of the investigation per a news conference just held.
My guess is he is gone.
September 10th, 2023 at 5:22 PM ^
He’s gone. They can get rid of him for cause and save on the ridiculous contract they gave him. Even they know it was stupid to give him all that money and even hire him in the first place
September 10th, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^
Tuck goin’…
September 10th, 2023 at 6:56 PM ^
so, no 'SD4L'? it's all over? tuck takin' his trike out of town?
September 10th, 2023 at 11:40 PM ^
Rumor is that both the trike and his walk-in humidor have already been listed on EBay. Moving to some safer investments after a frantic few hours on the phone with his broker. Hoping for a soft landing, but gonna have to go to the austerity package for a bit.
September 11th, 2023 at 3:38 PM ^
Strokin’ Dick 4 Life
September 10th, 2023 at 3:55 PM ^
I don't know if you can say it happened fast. If I'm following the timeline correctly, Staee knew about this in the spring but is only doing something about it now that it's come out.
But, yes, it did escalate quite quickly once it hit the news.
September 10th, 2023 at 3:56 PM ^
September 10th, 2023 at 4:04 PM ^
MSU fans are insisting the AD didn't know the details until last night, but I refuse to believe that's true
September 10th, 2023 at 4:11 PM ^
They also believe Santa Clause is real
September 10th, 2023 at 4:14 PM ^
They're hoping for any kind of clause to save them.
September 10th, 2023 at 4:20 PM ^
Well played. Thanks.
September 10th, 2023 at 7:02 PM ^
But they don't believe in Santa Ono!
September 10th, 2023 at 4:12 PM ^
MSU fans are insisting __________
This should be a card in the next Cards Against Humanity expansion pack
September 10th, 2023 at 4:19 PM ^
You can write custom cards on the blanks, or course... but there really should be some kind of university-themed expansion pack.