Rucker was in jail *edit*
It appears that MSU's Chris L. Rucker has been in jail without comment from MSU.
http://www.mlive.com/spartans/index.ssf/2010/10/michigan_states_chris_l_rucker_2.html
He is to be released this Thursday. Any bets on whether or not "The King of Discipline" (that's ESPN speak for Dantonio) counts the jail time as "suspension" or if Rucker finds himself right back on the field for Iowa?
**Also very interesting (thus the *edit*) is USA Today's report that Dantonio, after the NW game, said this about Rucker's status:
Mark Dantonio said MSU will await "the process" before deciding on Rucker.
It would be oh so nice to see a follow-up question from the locals, perhaps something like, "Coach: When you said that MSU will 'await the process' before deciding on Rucker, you must have known that he already cut a deal and was sitting in a jail cell. Do you think that lying to protect a twice-convicted criminal is appropriate behavior for a head coach?" Ok, so that will never happen, but I think this rates up there with Dantonio's prison-to-practice move for Winston.
October 26th, 2010 at 9:43 AM ^
...if Rucker finds his way on the field for Iowa I would be disappointed as well. I don't think he has a chance of playing this weekend, nor should he.
October 25th, 2010 at 1:46 PM ^
has already began filing a motion with the NCAA and the B10 to see if Rucker qualifies for an "Incarceration Redshirt" this season. To do so, Rucker must remain ineligible for the prison team until the NCAA issues its ruling.
However during the appeal Rucker does qualify to play under MSU (Malfeasant Student Union) which was founded by Michigan State University in 1966. Incidently this same union proclaimed that all ties in football shall be counted as wins ! The "duffy" clause ....
Go Blue !
October 25th, 2010 at 1:03 PM ^
I'd be willing to bet she's probably one angry MotherRucker.
October 25th, 2010 at 1:07 PM ^
October 25th, 2010 at 1:08 PM ^
Of course Michigan State is without comment. For, if you comment, people will KNOW about it, making his return to the field that much more of a problem.
This is good practice by MSU.
October 25th, 2010 at 1:13 PM ^
Catch and Relase t-shirt: Does anyone still have the image for that one?
October 25th, 2010 at 2:08 PM ^
If there was year to play a guy like this immediately upon release and get away with it, this is the year and Michigan State is the school.
We're in the midst of the state-wide media love train for that school in both major sports. Well earned too. Good for them.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:34 PM ^
There have been plenty of DUIs by college football players over the last few years. Rucker's case is interesting because he was involved in the Great Battle of Pot-Luck last year. Note that a 1-game suspension for a first-time offender is the norm, but some schools went well beyond that.
| Player | School | Coach | Result | Impact |
| Carlos Dunlap | Florida | Urban Meyer | Suspended 1 game: SEC championship. Played in Sugar Bowl then declared for NFL draft | FL lost its defensive MVP for the game of the year |
| Maurice Shaw | Idaho | Robb Akey | Suspended 1 game: conf. opener v. Louisiana Tech | Idaho lost to LA Tech 48-35 without their leading receiver |
| Donatvious Jackson | Georgia | Mark Richt | Suspended 6 games (also hit a car). Jackson is transferring | Backup RB, minor loss |
| Tavarres King | Georgia | Mark Richt | Was his car that Jackson was driving (King drunk too). Suspended 1 game. | GA pasted LA-Lafayette w/out him |
| Demetre Baker | Georgia | Mark Richt | Kicked off team (Richt cited zero-tolerance policy on arrests) | Not a threat to play |
| Damon Evans | Georgia | Mark Richt | He's the AD. He resigned | Led his Dawgs to the '10 Fulmer Cup |
| Kyle Theret | Minnesota | Tim Brewster | Suspended for part of Spring Ball and first 2 games | Starting S: Missing 2nd game was a contributing factor in South Dakota loss |
| Kevin Grady | Michigan | Rich Rodriguez | Suspended 1 game, plus all of July from team, but practiced in Fall. Lost spot on depth chart for all of '08. Started at FB late in '09 | Grady wouldn't have made the difference in '08 |
| Jason Douglas | Pitt | Dave Wannstedt | He actually hit a pedestrian so more serious, but like Rucker had previous issues. Still in jail, probably will be kicked of team | Was low on depth chart anyway. |
| Brandon Hogan | WVa. | Bill Stewart | Suspended one game (had a urinating in public charge in April). Did not start v. LSU | Starting CB but WVU beat Maryland N.E.way |
| Doug Worthington | Ohio St | Jim Tressell | No suspension, but did not start (OSU has a mandatory 2-game suspension for 2nd DUI arrest; genocide is 8 games) | YSU gained 17 rushing yards in the series Worthington missed. |
| Alex Boone | Ohio St | Jim Tressell | No suspension. Sought "treatment" before fall ball | None |
| Michael Buchanan | Illinois | Ron Zook | Suspended 2 games. Returned for Ohio State. | Illini beat S-Ill. and NIU |
| Jon Casillas | Wisconsin | Bret Bielema | While driving moped. No suspension "handled in-house" | None |
| Broderick Binns | Iowa | Kirk Ferentz | Suspended for part of Fall Ball and 1st game | Wasn't needed v E.Ill. |
| Shiloah Te'o | BYU | Bronco Mendenhall | Kicked off team (first offense). Transferred to Oregon St. | Would have started in '09 |
| Peter Lalich | Oregon St | Mike Riley | Boating DUI. Kicked off team | Would not have started in 2010 |
| Preston Parker | Florida State | Bobby Bowden | Had a previous weapons charge. Was dismissed from team | Might have been FSU's best receiver in '09-'10 |
The Ohio State ones really jump out. The only other recent DUI that didn't earn a suspension was for a moped (Wisconsin). The other thing that jumps out is that most of the kids who got a DUI after a previous incident were kicked off the team.
I guess it matters what Rucker's role was in last year's Pot Luck Attack, but a 1-game suspension is what you'd expect for a guy with no previous issues. If you imagine the Dorm Attack never occurred, Dantonio has a typical Big Ten record for punishments. The problem is, it did occur, and it wasn't the first time that something like it occurred under Dantonio. The result: two guys who shouldn't have been on the team anyway were kicked off, those charged were suspended for the bowl game, and one guy was given transfer papers after testifying against his teammates. Since then, this program continues to act like it didn't happen.
October 25th, 2010 at 2:44 PM ^
...this program continues to act like it didn't happen.
That's especially true given that Dantonio was actively lying as recently as yesterday about Rucker's status:
Mark Dantonio said MSU will await "the process" before deciding on Rucker
Await the process? C'mon. You knew that he already cut a deal and was in jail!!! If the coach isn't responsible for bad behavior, his players won't be either.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:59 PM ^
Isn't jail time part of the process? He was serving time. The process by definition would include everything from the initial arrest to him being let out of jail. How exactly was Dantonio lying?
October 25th, 2010 at 5:05 PM ^
No. The legal process ended when the deal was cut. That's why this is a story today...the kid was already in jail but MSU never told anyone.
October 26th, 2010 at 10:58 AM ^
So the whole point of the justice system (you know, the rehabilitation. Not everyone gets life behind bars) isn't part of the "process" in your eyes? You're going to have to explain that viewpoint in a little more detail because it sounds bat shit crazy to me.
October 26th, 2010 at 11:33 AM ^
I'll type slowly as it seems you're having trouble with this one...
When a defendant agrees to a plea deal, which is accepted by the Court, that is a "final action". The "process" is not ongoing just because the guy is sitting in jail. That has nothing to do with the "justice system" and "rehabilitation"; it's just legal and plain common sense.
If you still don't get it...and still think that the process is ongoing during the punishment phase of a conviction...How was Dantonio able to make a decision on Rucker the first time? He was still on probation (thus, part of the "process" according to you). Wait, don't answer that. It'll just look foolish and poorly thought out.
October 26th, 2010 at 11:37 AM ^
he could've broken out of his cell!
October 26th, 2010 at 11:54 AM ^
Dantonio can decide at what point in the process he wants to take action. He's a grown man. That comment is absurd.
Also, it's pretty weird that you assume that Dantonio meant legal process.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:58 PM ^
I agree. It's coach-speak, not lying. "Awaiting the process" could mean anything.
I don't care if Dantonio said Rucker was visiting China. It's not the press conference that makes this thing icky. The only thing that bothers me about Rucker playing at Iowa is that Dantonio is treating this like a first-time offense. Coach D knows all about the previous incident, but his first inclination when it happened was the standard one-week suspension.
I wish I had noted the ones that took place during the season, because it highlights the difference: the first-timers were in jail for like 2 days, then they got out and had their coaches tack on punishment for embarrassing the program. Among these, Grady extended his punishment by not doing all of his community service. Those who were repeat offenders of any sort were either kicked off the team, or transferred.
Rucker wasn't sitting on the sidelines and doing extra stairs; he's been behind bars for the last 8 days for violating his probation. The extended jail time is because Rucker pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor less than a year ago, a misdemeanor which he committed while part of the Michigan State football team. The City of East Lansing certainly hasn't forgotten the seriousness of past transgressions.
He is still not treating the Pot-luck thing as a big deal. When a group of men go to pick a brawl with another group of men, that is a very big deal. Events like that can result in deaths, permanent disabilities, and the use of weapons, and usually involve harm to innocent bystanders. It is a very big deal.
That is the only thing I am criticizing him of.
October 26th, 2010 at 10:56 AM ^
I think it's funny that you guys refer to Rather Hall as a brawl. It was one guy throwing punches. Conspiracy to commit assault does not mean you hit people. It basically means he was in the group of people that went to Rather Hall to back up his friend incase things got more out of hand then they already were. Obviously bad judgement on Rucker's part, but don't make him out to be some thug when he obviously isn't. The only thug I saw was WInston and he is off the team along with 5 others involved in that mess. The ones that remain didn't lie or throw any punches.
October 26th, 2010 at 11:27 AM ^
It wasn't a "brawl", it was an attack...planned at a football function. The players who remain do so because they are starters (and accounted for most of MSU's points against mighty NW). Winston and Jenrette were booted because bringing them back would not be defensible. Further, Rucker pled to assault and battery...which means he hit someone.
You know, even though your opinions are opposite most, your arguments would at least have a bit of heft if you didn't make things up.
October 26th, 2010 at 11:47 AM ^
You want to scold me for making stuff up regarding Rather Hall? ROFL. Then scold everyone on this board.
Fact: There were no ski masks
Fact: They didn't plan it at a football function. Winston asked players AFTER the banquet to come with him.
Fact: Rucker didn't hit anyone. From the Freep:
Fact: Fred Smith remains on the team and is not a starter. Everyone who actually hit someone that night is off the team. Everyone that lied about that night is off the team. Everyone that remains was simply there.
But don't let facts get in the way of you bashing Dantonio/MSU. Let's not forget that RR/UM isn't exactly the model for discipline either....
October 26th, 2010 at 12:03 PM ^
Dude. Just stop. I tried to be nice to you but you're full of shit.
Remember Mark Dell who not only lied to the coach, but also to his Dad and the press? Yeah. He's a starter. All of the players lied. That's why it took a police investigation and video tape to refute their claims of innocence. As for the ski masks...that's the lamest defense of all. The "winter hat" covered the chin but not mouth. Big. Fucking. Deal. Your team plotted and executed a group attack at a potluck dinner. FACT.
Further, you're using the statements of a defendant and his attorney to backup your claim that Rucker didn't "punch" anyone??? Instead he "kicked"? C'mon man. You want to post that State beat Michigan on the field - do it. That's accurate. You want to make wildly illogical arguments to defend the "discipline" of your team? Don't. It's just annoying. It'd be like me going to a State board and posting that Michigan has an awesome defense. It's inaccurate, indefensible and a waste of time. Bye bye.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^
The disconnect here is not over facts, loc. Where we disagree, and disagree strongly, is in how big of a deal the Rather Hall incident is. We're looking at the same facts; but we're saying this event is a huge, forever-program-staining kind of thing. People die and get lifetime injuries during a "brawl." A group fight makes otherwise good people lose inhibitions. The typical social rules surrounding a fight, where onlookers do not participate and will break it up before someone gets hurt, do not apply in a brawl. This makes them extremely dangerous, and this is why it is important to be very openly harsh on participants.
What we're saying is that agreeing to go along with your buddy and "back him up" is a big deal. Nothing like what happened at Rather Hall has ever happened at Michigan that I know of, so I can't tell you how I'd respond if it happened to my team. I can tell you that given the circumstances, where the ringleader was a repeat violent offender who wasn't punished the first time, I hope I would be incredibly critical of my head coach's response. If it wasn't dealt with openly and severely, I would call for the coach to be fired.
I have a sister-in-law who was living in Rather Hall when that happened, and who knows some of the victims, and I don't know how to tell you how big of a deal even being on the periphery of that (and kicking someone for 6 seconds) really is. That your head coach is essentially ignoring that it happened just a year later is a major red flag as to how Dantonio views the incident. He obviously doesn't think it's a big deal.
IT'S A BIG FUCKING DEAL!
How can I convince you that this isn't just rivalry crap-giving here? People die in brawls. Innocent bystanders are permanently hurt in brawls. And fair or not, what members of an organization such as the Michigan State football team do reflects on that organization, until such point that the organization makes it abundantly clear they are not associated with it. The difference between saying "some guys on the Michigan State football team started a brawl," and "the Michigan State football team started a brawl," is in how the coach reacts to it. This coach, who had some culpability for the brawl in the first place, is demonstrating again that he doesn't think association with the Rather Hall Brawl should follow a player just a year later. Getting a DUI is making a decision that could get someone killed or seriously injured, as is allowing yourself to join a group intent on settling a dispute through violence.
It's not the coach's job to fulfill society's justice. The City of East Lansing will take care of the welfare of the people of East Lansing (including my sister-in-law), and have done so by having Rucker serve an 8-day jail sentence. Dantonio's job is to protect the name of Michigan State from Rucker. Nobody expects any head coach to run a program where no athlete commits a misdemeanor -- these are, afterall, college kids and athletes to boot. What we should expect out of coaches is that they never tacitly condone such behavior. They demonstrate this by holding their wards in double-jeopardy. The jail time is for what he did as a citizen of East Lansing, Michigan. The suspension should relate to what he has done as a representative of Michigan State's football program. A one-game suspension is relative to "Chris L. Rucker, MSU defensive back, was arrested for a DUI," but not "Chris L. Rucker, MSU defensive back who was convicted of misdemeanor assault for his role in the Rather Hall incident, was arrested for a DUI."
Make sense?
RR vs. Dantonio on discipline is not at all a comparison -- mostly because M players have nothing like Rather Hall to serve as a basis for it. The biggest incident so far under RR was that kid caught in the middle of a bad coke deal; it was the first whiff of trouble the coaching staff ever heard about the guy, and he was immediately kicked off the team. Other than that, you have Carson Butler who was told to GTFO (this btw was what set off the Renaissance coaches, who thought Butler deserved more patience), and Kevin Grady, who got pulled from spring practice plus a 1-game suspension and a full-season depth chart spanking, and then another 1-game suspension for not fulfilling his legal obligations. Those are the ones I can name off the top of my head. Do you have direct comparisons from State's spate of typical shit?
October 26th, 2010 at 1:51 PM ^
Dantonio will run his program, Rich Rod will run his. People do see this differently. There can be different levels of player involvement, not only in the Rather Hall incident... but anything, and different levels of discipline.
You weren't there. Was your sister-in-law at the bar the night before, when (reportedly) several football players were jumped that precipitated the incident?
I'm not condoning anything. It sucks. But this "people die in brawls" stuff is just hyperbole. Over the top.
You are just grasping at any dirt you can throw. Ridiculous.
October 25th, 2010 at 4:31 PM ^
One minor addition: Peter Lalich had legal/behavior troubles (I forget the specifics, but there was a reason he transferred to Oregon St.) at UVA. So he was probably on a short leash at Oregon St. to begin with.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:28 PM ^
You have a DUItabase.
October 26th, 2010 at 4:09 PM ^
who doesn't these days?
October 26th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^
That's some pretty solid research. You know, there's an in-season Fulmer Cup which I don't believe has ever been measured...? Perhaps a Dantonio Cup?
October 25th, 2010 at 2:38 PM ^
He will probably be starting vs Iowa.. In his place is a freshman who has to cover DKJ for IOWA.. i expect 3 TD's by him if he is being covered by another freshman saturday.
October 25th, 2010 at 3:45 PM ^
So that I can have something to throw back everytime someone talks about Rich Rodrigues practicing a extra 20 Minutes.
October 25th, 2010 at 5:47 PM ^
He already welcomed Glenn Winston back to the team the day he got out of jail last year. That alone is sufficient embarassment.
October 25th, 2010 at 6:01 PM ^
Mark D is not Rucker's parent or guardian. It's not his business to announce ruckers incarceration.
October 25th, 2010 at 6:30 PM ^
Let me quote from the "King of Discipline" himself (of course, he said this before the season started):
Given a second opportunity, there’s zero tolerance.
Unless you need to "await the process"...
October 26th, 2010 at 11:06 AM ^
You act like Rucker has played a game already. He's still in jail and Dantonio hasn't said one way or another what is going to happen. Apparently innocent until proven guilty doesn't apply to Dantonio around here....
October 25th, 2010 at 6:12 PM ^
Mark Dantonio is beyond reproach. The leader of the Sardaukar answers to no one.
October 25th, 2010 at 6:42 PM ^
Rucker got off easy for his first arrest.
<br>
<br>For a underage consumption of alcohol (no driving etc or prior arrests)
<br>
<br>I got a year of random alcohol testing, 80 hours of community service, and violation of probation would have landed me 60 days in jail.
<br>
<br>Nothing else involved , no fighting etc, I was just caught leaving a bar. Rucker got off easy for the fight, time to throw the book at him.
<br>
<br>If the system is unfair/ridiculous that's one thing, but if it was hard on me it should be for him.
October 25th, 2010 at 7:24 PM ^
Just caught leaving a bar? Ahhh, yeah.... Nobody gets arrested for walking out of a bar.
October 25th, 2010 at 10:37 PM ^
Underage people do, if you had bothered to read properly.
October 25th, 2010 at 10:54 PM ^
Did the cops super x-ray vision read his ID? I'm not buying he got busted "just leaving a bar".
October 25th, 2010 at 10:58 PM ^
Well, if he's lying, so be it. It won't change anything. But his point still stands. The average joe gets penalized much more than these athletes do.
And the cops don't need super x-ray vision (what is super x-ray vision, anyways? Is that like UV-vision?) to ask him for his ID and read it. How do you think people get MIPs? By running up to cops and telling them that they're underage?
October 25th, 2010 at 11:03 PM ^
Minors don't get 60 days in jail for violation of "parole". Jesus, anybody knows that. Ever heard of a lawyer?
October 25th, 2010 at 11:06 PM ^
Especially for an MIP. lol. rolleyes eyes....
October 25th, 2010 at 11:06 PM ^
Jesus man, do you read? He said it COULD'VE gotten him 60 days in jail. I might stop negging you for the fear that you simply have a reading disorder.
Get out of here, troll.
October 25th, 2010 at 11:14 PM ^
You can play your "negging" game all you want, its the embodiment of a pussy and coward.
And its you who needs to bone up on the reading skills. Would you like a lesson on the difference between the words would and could?
and violation of probation would have landed me 60 days in jail.
October 25th, 2010 at 11:15 PM ^
A Spartan should know the meaning of "maximum jail sentence", but apparently you don't.
And LOL at the rest of your post. I'm "a pussy and coward" for using an awesome feature on this board for keeping the likes of you from posting any topics?
Wanna arm wrestle? Will that prove my manliness to you? Because I'm dying to prove myself to you.
October 25th, 2010 at 11:21 PM ^
Let's just keep it simple, I'd prefer you understood the difference between "would" and "could". dictionary.com--->
Jesus man, do you read? He said it COULD'VE gotten him 60 days in jail. I might stop negging you for the fear that you simply have a reading disorder.
and violation of probation would have landed me 60 days in jail.
October 25th, 2010 at 11:25 PM ^
Yeah, you're wrong.
October 25th, 2010 at 11:31 PM ^
Actually, in the ever evolving english language, the two words are used interchangeably (albeit improperly), like CAN and MAY. But hey, if I were being a grammar nazi also, I would've pointed out your improper use of "its" in one of your previous responses.
Now, how about you stop trolling?
October 25th, 2010 at 11:35 PM ^
You're the one who made the false claim, not me. You're the one who intiated the reading skills claim, not me (all the while being wrong I might add). You're the one now back tracking and advancing some nuanced definition of the words "would" and "could". Now, hows about you stop digging that hole, sweetie?
October 25th, 2010 at 11:55 PM ^
I initiated the "reading skills claim" because you glanced over an entire statement. You decided to select a common misuse of the word "could" (which I believe I used the right word while the OP did not). But I do not care to get in a grammatical battle with you, cutie pie, because your base belief has been wrong from the beginning. I may have incorrectly used one word, I may not have. All that matters in this debate is that you are completely wrong about the overarching theme in this topic, which is the sentiment that the average person receives a much harsher punishment than the average big-name athlete, especially in this case.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:08 AM ^
You're wrong, violating probation on a charge of wreckless driving and getting 7 days in the clink is norm. How much time did StonUM get for violating parole? Perhaps you can link me the threads started on the outrage of StonUM's preferential treatment of 3 days in jail. Thanks in advance Wally.
October 26th, 2010 at 12:10 AM ^
First, I would like to know your source to backup your statement that "violating probation on a charge of wreckless driving and getting 7 days in the clink is norm." Please, keep in mind that Rucker is on probation for assault and battery and that he was charged with drunk driving, not "wreckless" driving.