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This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible
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The more you read about what went on at MSU (and probably many other schools) the scarier the story gets:

http://www.espn.com/...rry-nassar-case-espn

"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [jkca1] [ In reply to ]
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jkca1 wrote:
The more you read about what went on at MSU (and probably many other schools) the scarier the story gets:

http://www.espn.com/...rry-nassar-case-espn

This is easily going to eclipse, in scope and scale (and sheer incompetency as well as cover-up when it comes to the school administration, the university police, the local cops, the trustees, the athletic department... you name it), what went on at Penn State. We follow the goings-on at MSU closely down here in the Detroit area. This one is horrifically bad. I'm not even sure there's a punishment that would be too harsh when it comes to holding the university accountable.

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [jkca1] [ In reply to ]
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This appears to be orders of magnitude worse than the horrific abuse at Penn State.

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [jkca1] [ In reply to ]
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For me, I want jail time for the administrators, they should not get away with just resigning. That and significant impact to the university.

Otherwise, why should the admin care? If it doesn’t truly impact them, so what. That and since I am not in position any more, I’m safe. That has to stop.

This definitely goes for the US Olympic committee as well, if not more so.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [jkca1] [ In reply to ]
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The problem with something like this - and we saw it play out with Penn State too - is these major conference athletic schools hold so much sway over local and even sometimes state politics, they have a ton of money and influential donors, and the vast majority of people in the community support the school, many of them went their, are boosters, their kids go there, so no one wants to make waves and it breeds this culture of zero accountability and scandals allowed to be swept under the rug.

Some of these school admins and even coaches, depending on the scenario, have to go to jail. If people knew about Nassar and/or other instances of assault that were swept under the rug then they were complicit and should be held accountable.

Finally, fuck these university administrators. Why do they make so much money, they basically amount to boosters and fundraisers for their schools, how does what they do--enrich themselves and fellow school administrators--help the kids attending the school? I think it's all fairly corrupt and incestuous and self-serving and does nothing to improve the actual university experience beyond making it more expensive to attend a university.
Last edited by: Brownie28: Jan 26, 18 13:29
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [TooSlow] [ In reply to ]
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TooSlow wrote:
For me, I want jail time for the administrators, they should not get away with just resigning. That and significant impact to the university.

Otherwise, why should the admin care? If it doesn’t truly impact them, so what. That and since I am not in position any more, I’m safe. That has to stop.

This definitely goes for the US Olympic committee as well, if not more so.

I think Congress has indicated already that it's going to closely examine USOC's and USA Gymnatics' role in all this.

This one is bad, bad, bad. No other way to put it. It's sickening. It goes to the very heart of evil, and the fact that people knowingly tolerated such evil in their midst -- people in power and with the ability to quickly do something about it -- is doubly sickening.

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Brownie28] [ In reply to ]
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Brownie28 wrote:
The problem with something like this - and we saw it play out with Penn State too - is these major conference athletic schools hold so much sway over local and even sometimes state politics, they have a ton of money and influential donors, and the vast majority of people in the community support the school, many of them went their, are boosters, their kids go there, so no one wants to make waves and it breeds this culture of zero accountability and scandals allowed to be swept under the rug.

Some of these school admins and even coaches, depending on the scenario, have to go to jail. If people knew about Nassar and/or other instances of assault that were swept under the rug then they were complicit and should be held accountable.

Finally, fuck these university administrators. Why do they make so much money, they basically amount to boosters and fundraisers for their schools, how does what they do--enrich themselves and fellow school administrators--help the kids attending the school? I think it's all fairly corrupt and incestuous and self-serving and does nothing to improve the actual university experience beyond making it more expensive to attend a university.


The Detroit News, in an article yesterday, noted that part of the problem at the three "showcase" state schools in Michigan (MSU, University of Michigan, and Wayne State University) is that all the trustees are voted in in at-large elections, so there's little accountability and a dearth of actual experience in managing such institutions. The trustees are just there to score prime VIP boxes at football and basketball games and other high-status perks. I believe the trustees at State include an ex-football coach (George Perles) and several others who have been voted back in for years. Typically, trustees in other states are voted in by district or they're gubernatorial appointments. The legislature here in Michigan doesn't even have any power over them and can't remove them from office.

So where were the MSU trustees when all of this was going on? Largely on the sidelines and not even paying attention to what Lou Anna Simon and the rest of the administration as well as the athletic department was up to.

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
Last edited by: big kahuna: Jan 26, 18 13:40
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [TooSlow] [ In reply to ]
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Given it is a public university the university is the public. So punishing the university doesn't help so much. I don't know to what extent the university admin can be legally held accountable.

They constantly try to escape from the darkness outside and within
Dreaming of systems so perfect that no one will need to be good T.S. Eliot

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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Brownie28] [ In reply to ]
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Brownie28 wrote:
The problem with something like this - and we saw it play out with Penn State too - is these major conference athletic schools hold so much sway over local and even sometimes state politics, they have a ton of money and influential donors, and the vast majority of people in the community support the school, many of them went their, are boosters, their kids go there, so no one wants to make waves and it breeds this culture of zero accountability and scandals allowed to be swept under the rug.

Some of these school admins and even coaches, depending on the scenario, have to go to jail. If people knew about Nassar and/or other instances of assault that were swept under the rug then they were complicit and should be held accountable.

Finally, fuck these university administrators. Why do they make so much money, they basically amount to boosters and fundraisers for their schools, how does what they do--enrich themselves and fellow school administrators--help the kids attending the school? I think it's all fairly corrupt and incestuous and self-serving and does nothing to improve the actual university experience beyond making it more expensive to attend a university.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [len] [ In reply to ]
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len wrote:
Given it is a public university the university is the public. So punishing the university doesn't help so much. I don't know to what extent the university admin can be legally held accountable.
No, the university represents the public. Punishing INDIVIDUALS associated with the university, who either didn't follow local/state laws, Title IX laws, or were in some way complicit would be a good start, and I think that helps a lot. It sends a message that these public institutions can't and won't be run like the good ole boys club they typically are, the country club high-roller booster club shit that goes on behind the scenes while corruption and criminality is happening under the administrations oversight.

I don't know just how criminally liable school administrators will be in this case, but to the greatest extent they can be held accountable I'd like to see them punished. The NCAA, major conference university shenanigans are an absolute joke in this country, meanwhile our kids (and/or their parents) are asked to fork over an obscene amount of money for the privilege of attending one of these fine institutions. Complete crock of shit if you ask me.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [len] [ In reply to ]
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len wrote:
Given it is a public university the university is the public. So punishing the university doesn't help so much. I don't know to what extent the university admin can be legally held accountable.

Maybe the problem is mixing education (or lack of) and sports.
Especially when the athletes are on slave contracts while everybody else are having a blast.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Brownie28] [ In reply to ]
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By the way how much of a scumbag does Lou Anna Simon look like? Her resignation letter oozed of righteous indignation, she's an elitist piece of shit who's lived in a university cocoon for her entire 40 year career. Think about that, she's been with MSU admin for forty fucking years, she must have heard and seen so much shit with that basketball and football program, with Nassar and others, and she's somehow survived it all.

Nassar deserves all the fun he'll be provided in prison until he rots there, but Simon really should be joining him for a nice long stretch in my opinion.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Halvard] [ In reply to ]
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Halvard wrote:
len wrote:
Given it is a public university the university is the public. So punishing the university doesn't help so much. I don't know to what extent the university admin can be legally held accountable.


Maybe the problem is mixing education (or lack of) and sports.
Especially when the athletes are on slave contracts while everybody else are having a blast.

I agree with the first bit, this mixing of university and sport in the US is and has been a problem for a long time.

But on the second, that's a bit dramatic no? Given the cost of higher ed now, these kids are getting $60, $70K per year educations for free, with a stipend. Hell, compare it to kids who sign minor league baseball contracts (many out of HS, many more after 1-3 years of college) who make ~$12K a year for the chance to be that special 0.001% that makes the majors, AND there's no diploma at the end if they fail.

And hell, if we're being honest the best of these college athletes are also getting some pocket change and some clothes and cars and more.
Last edited by: Brownie28: Jan 26, 18 14:24
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Brownie28] [ In reply to ]
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Brownie28 wrote:
Halvard wrote:
len wrote:
Given it is a public university the university is the public. So punishing the university doesn't help so much. I don't know to what extent the university admin can be legally held accountable.


Maybe the problem is mixing education (or lack of) and sports.
Especially when the athletes are on slave contracts while everybody else are having a blast.

I agree with the first bit, this mixing of university and sport in the US is and has been a problem for a long time.

But on the second, that's a bit dramatic no? Given the cost of higher ed now, these kids are getting $60, $70K per year educations for free, with a stipend. Hell, compare it to kids who sign minor league baseball contracts (many out of HS, many more after 1-3 years of college) who make ~$12K a year for the chance to be that special 0.001% that makes the majors, AND there's no diploma at the end if they fail.

And hell, if we're being honest the best of these college athletes are also getting some pocket change and some clothes and cars and more.

They do not get an education for free. They get a promise of an education. But as we have seen. The schedules are to busy and sometimes the classes are just fake.
You get something for free if you do not have give anything back.
It is quite clear that this is not a fair treatment.

When I went to university in Norway I had several friends playing professional soccer at the same time as they study. It was no problem.

Also, NCAA is not following their own rules. They "have" the same rules for every sport, but do not follow them.
I have friends on D1 universities, all Americans and they have sponsors. Of course they do not compete in football or basketball where a church league can get you kicked out.

When my American university complied about being broke at the same time as they start building a $300m stadium, I decided not to donate to that institution.
Fun fact, in the beginning of 2000s the softball MD at UW had the nickname Dr. Feelgood since he gave athletes steroids ++. Just like sport in Russia.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Brownie28] [ In reply to ]
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You have it very wrong with the 2nd Mile Sandusky Scandal.

1.Sandusky was the founder of the 2nd Mile, a charity serving troubled and at risk youth in the 1970’s. By the late 90’s, the charity was a fundraising machine with Sandusky driving the money due to his his fame as top flight defensive football coach.

2. 2nd Mile’s Board members in the 2000’s included a who is who of Central PA politics and businesses. Also, several PSU Board members were also on the 2nd Mile boardIncluding Tom Corbett, PA attorney general who kicked off the investigation in 2008, and other business leaders who contributed over $600,000 to Corbett’s successful gubernatorial campaign in 2010. WhilCorbett’s office was investigating Sandusky.

3. 2nd Mile was the largest provider of foster care, counseling, and mentoring programs for central PA’s children and youth services. Also, due to its status as a charity for youth, it was under the umbrella of the attorney general’s office from a compliance standpoint.

4. Sandusky met ALL of his victims through his involvement with the 2nd Mile, most of his victims were referred to 2nd Mile through Children and Youth Services.

5.2nd Mile exercised very little oversight in regards to Sandusky - he was allowed unsupervised one on one time with 2nd Mile clients, took clients out of school without parental consent or permission, etc. In fact, the CEO of the 2nd Mile had said they had to tell Sandusky to back off of kids before due to his “neediness”.

6. In 2008, the Sandusky investigation is kicked off by victim 1, by Aaron Fisher. The investigation stalls for two years and does not pick up steam until AFTER Tom Corbett is elected governor in 2010. In the meantime, instead of putting the PA State Police sex crimes unit on the Sandusky case, Corbett assigns narcotics investigators to it.

7.Durng the Sandusky investigation, no attempt is made to pull records from the 2nd Mile. When the SHTF in 2011,2nd Mile closes shop, former Philly DA Lynne Abraham is called to do an investigation on 2nd Mile’s role with Sandusky. About a month later, investigation is closed, no report is done, because there are no funds to do it, and 2nd Mile assets are transferred to Arrow Ministries in Texas.

8.Sandusky is investigated in 1998 by PSU police, and CYS. PSU police recommend charges to the DA, the DA axes them because CYS gave Sandusky the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval for his naked showering habits with kids.

9. In early 2001,Grad Assistant Mike McQueary hears slapping sounds in the coache’s shower. He peers around the corner and sees through a mirror a child and Sandusky in close proximity to each other. Keep in mind, Sandusky had been retired from PSU for two years at this point.

10.McQueary goes home, tells his dad whose the office manager at a large medical practice, and Dr. Dranov, a doctor at the said medical practice. Dranov asks McQueary three times if he SAW ANYTHING SEXUAL. McQueary says no. Instead, they tell Mike to let Paterno know the next day.

11. McQueary “tells” Paterno what he saw, admits later that he gave less detail to Paterno than he did his father and Dranov. Paterno kicks the report to the athletic director Tim Curley, and Gary Schultz (administrative head of PSU Police).

12. Schultz, Curley, and Spanier kick around what to do, and finally settle on telling Sandusky’s employer, 2nd Mile not to bring kids on campus anymore. The 2nd Mile CEO tells Sandusky to wear swim trunks and the chairman of the 2nd Mile board gives Sandusky the key to the fitness room at one of his hotels he owns to take 2nd Mile kids to work out since PSU is off limits.

13. Curley and Schultz plead guilty to misdemeanor failure to report, Spanier is found guilty of failure to report which is being appealed by Spanier.

14. Turns out, the “anal rape in the shower witnessed by McQueary” as told in the Grand Jury Presentment never happened. Sandusky was found not guilty of those charges, McQueary wrote a letter to the author of the presentment that he never saw anal rape, and testified at multiple trials that he only saw Sandusky with his body up against the child.

I hold Spanier and Schultz responsible for poor judgement - by all means, they should have called CYS just to cover the university’s butt. As to some grand conspiracy to protect Sandusky? No way. If it was, they would have never had reported it to 2nd Mile.

The greater crime with the Sandusky scandal is there was no investigation as to how a serial pedophile was able to found a charity for at risk kids, able to care for DOZENS of foster children, and adopt several children, Sandusky was able to dupe the experts. Yet, there was NOTHING done to dissect how he was able to do it.
Last edited by: BBB1975: Jan 26, 18 15:22
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Brownie28] [ In reply to ]
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Brownie28 wrote:
By the way how much of a scumbag does Lou Anna Simon look like? Her resignation letter oozed of righteous indignation, she's an elitist piece of shit who's lived in a university cocoon for her entire 40 year career. Think about that, she's been with MSU admin for forty fucking years, she must have heard and seen so much shit with that basketball and football program, with Nassar and others, and she's somehow survived it all.

Nassar deserves all the fun he'll be provided in prison until he rots there, but Simon really should be joining him for a nice long stretch in my opinion.

If you ever run for Judge and I can vote for you, you've got my vote. They should all rot in hell. And that includes Izzo and Dantonio.

"The great pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do."
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [jkca1] [ In reply to ]
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jkca1 wrote:
Brownie28 wrote:
By the way how much of a scumbag does Lou Anna Simon look like? Her resignation letter oozed of righteous indignation, she's an elitist piece of shit who's lived in a university cocoon for her entire 40 year career. Think about that, she's been with MSU admin for forty fucking years, she must have heard and seen so much shit with that basketball and football program, with Nassar and others, and she's somehow survived it all.

Nassar deserves all the fun he'll be provided in prison until he rots there, but Simon really should be joining him for a nice long stretch in my opinion.


If you ever run for Judge and I can vote for you, you've got my vote. They should all rot in hell. And that includes Izzo and Dantonio.

Times two. So who do I gotta kill to make this happen? ;-)

By the way, MSU athletic director Mark Hollis -- one of the folks in the leadership at the university who should have had a clue (assuming he didn't know everything about what was going on, in the first place) -- announced his retirement today. He was the AD, but I'm sure he gave the women's sports programs at the university about two minutes of attention daily, including when potentially disturbing issues in the female gymnastics department cropped up. Too busy managing the multi-million dollar football and basketball programs and all the lucrative endorsement deals, no doubt.

Also, my guess is he's getting out and hoping to avoid a figurative firing squad in the form of possible civil as well as criminal investigations. This horrible tragedy is going to haunt the university for years. No way Hollis could stay after presiding over an athletic program where he was at the helm when all of the allegations finally came to light.

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [big kahuna] [ In reply to ]
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And then there's this report about comments made today by a prominent and wealthy MSU donor in reaction to the ballooning fallout from the women's gymnastics tragedy. It makes me think maybe we should reconsider the prominence given to athletics at what are supposed to be institutions of higher learning and knowledge:

"Parents who don't feel safe sending their children to Michigan State University in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal should send them to other schools, said a university prominent donor and Grand Rapids businessman.

Peter Secchia said in an interview Thursday with WZZM- TV, an ABC affiliate in Grand Rapids, that there are a lot of students waiting to get into the university.

"I would say to them that if you don't feel comfortable with your children at Michigan State, take them somewhere else because we've got a long list of people that want to go to Michigan State and there are some wonderful people left," he said."

Also by the way: it isn't extremely hard to get into Michigan State University. It's harder to get into the University of Michigan and not hard at all to get into Wayne State University. All are considered the most prominent of the state's public universities.

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Halvard] [ In reply to ]
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Halvard wrote:
len wrote:
Given it is a public university the university is the public. So punishing the university doesn't help so much. I don't know to what extent the university admin can be legally held accountable.


Maybe the problem is mixing education (or lack of) and sports.
Especially when the athletes are on slave contracts while everybody else are having a blast.

Bwaaahaaaahaaaaaa!

YEAH! No fun at all!!!

Cam Newton and 10 College Athletes in Scandal
http://bleacherreport.com/...-fault-or-the-system

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [big kahuna] [ In reply to ]
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Having interacted with Secchia many times back in the day when I was involved in GOP volunteerism and activism, I can confidently say he’s truly as arrogant, condescending, and clueless as these quotes make him out to be.


big kahuna wrote:
And then there's this report about comments made today by a prominent and wealthy MSU donor in reaction to the ballooning fallout from the women's gymnastics tragedy. It makes me think maybe we should reconsider the prominence given to athletics at what are supposed to be institutions of higher learning and knowledge:

"Parents who don't feel safe sending their children to Michigan State University in the wake of the Larry Nassar scandal should send them to other schools, said a university prominent donor and Grand Rapids businessman.

Peter Secchia said in an interview Thursday with WZZM- TV, an ABC affiliate in Grand Rapids, that there are a lot of students waiting to get into the university.

"I would say to them that if you don't feel comfortable with your children at Michigan State, take them somewhere else because we've got a long list of people that want to go to Michigan State and there are some wonderful people left," he said."

Also by the way: it isn't extremely hard to get into Michigan State University. It's harder to get into the University of Michigan and not hard at all to get into Wayne State University. All are considered the most prominent of the state's public universities.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [BBB1975] [ In reply to ]
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BBB1975 wrote:
You have it very wrong with the 2nd Mile Sandusky Scandal.

The greater crime with the Sandusky scandal is there was no investigation as to how a serial pedophile was able to found a charity for at risk kids, able to care for DOZENS of foster children, and adopt several children, Sandusky was able to dupe the experts. Yet, there was NOTHING done to dissect how he was able to do it.
My point, in relating the two scandals, is that in both instances you had abuse happening by someone affiliated with a university, with reports of misconduct here and there, and nothing being done with it until the one that blew the whole thing open. Years of abuse, of even reported abuse, and the universities not doing what they could to protect the children/young women who would become future victims.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [jkca1] [ In reply to ]
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I graduated from MSU. My wife and sister graduated from MSU. My son is a student there now. I went to high school with Mark Hollis. As I write this, I'm watching the Spartan's basketball game. I certainly have my biases. I fully support investigations from the justice department and the NCAA. Anyone at the university that was involved in covering up, dismissing or just ignoring the issue needs to be gone.

Having said all that, and at the risk of being accused of a pro-child abuse position, this has turned into a bit of a torch and pitchfork quest for blood. Very little in the OTL report was new information. Most were either accusations that were investigated and never charged, or players that were charged and then dismissed. Six months ago these issues had been resolved and the university was moving past them, now that the spotlight of Nassar has been shown on them, they have new life.

I'm not sure what my point is, clearly changes need to be made, I just hope they can be made in a rational and measured way.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Thom] [ In reply to ]
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Thom wrote:
I graduated from MSU. My wife and sister graduated from MSU. My son is a student there now. I went to high school with Mark Hollis. As I write this, I'm watching the Spartan's basketball game. I certainly have my biases. I fully support investigations from the justice department and the NCAA. Anyone at the university that was involved in covering up, dismissing or just ignoring the issue needs to be gone.

Having said all that, and at the risk of being accused of a pro-child abuse position, this has turned into a bit of a torch and pitchfork quest for blood. Very little in the OTL report was new information. Most were either accusations that were investigated and never charged, or players that were charged and then dismissed. Six months ago these issues had been resolved and the university was moving past them, now that the spotlight of Nassar has been shown on them, they have new life.

I'm not sure what my point is, clearly changes need to be made, I just hope they can be made in a rational and measured way.

You are right. Those involved need to be punished. But, we should not lose sight of the fact that there are many, many students, student athletes, alum, and fans who did not do anything wrong and the punishment here should be directed at those who were culpable.

As horrible as the Penn State crimes were, I had a great deal of sympathy for the students and athletes who had to carry the brunt of the punishment. It really is a tough position. The NCAA has to take action that effectuates real change, but, I really wish they could hold those responsible, responsible.

While not even close to being in the same league as far as seriousness, it is akin to the penalties imposed on USC for the actions of Reggie Bush and Pete Carroll. Those responsible walked away free and clear, leaving other to deal with the ruins.

If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers

Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [Thom] [ In reply to ]
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I think some of the more damning things to come out of the OTL report is how the athletic department was self-policing. That combined with the Nassar scandal, it's starting to appear that there is lack of institutional control. Simon was chair of the executive committee right after the PSU scandal and yet her own university lacks the ability to follow through on basic items, which reflects that the President couldn't get people to follow directives, or it just wasn't a priority. There is potentially evidence of statutory non-compliance. AD Hollis did not even formally reach out to female student-athletes until 5 months after Nassar was fired. That does not demonstrate genuine concern.

My wife graduated from COM, Dean Strampel's name is on her diploma. His failings in 2014, in light of his reputation related to being inappropriate (sexually) do not seem to be very surprising. Something smells rotten in East Lansing, and there is an impression that sexual hostility pervades the campus.

All of this, coupled with the complete lack of consideration for victims and tone deaf responses from the top leadership has basically invited a ton of scrutiny. The complete mishandling of this over 16 months lead to the galvanization of the victims and it developed into international media exposure. There is a chance that MSU may get a draconian punishment, and it wouldn't be fair to certain parties. However, sometimes, life isn't fair.




There are three kinds of people, those who can count, and those who can't.
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Re: This nightmare at MSU keeps getting worse if that's possible [r7950] [ In reply to ]
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r7950 wrote:
I think some of the more damning things to come out of the OTL report is how the athletic department was self-policing. That combined with the Nassar scandal, it's starting to appear that there is lack of institutional control. Simon was chair of the executive committee right after the PSU scandal and yet her own university lacks the ability to follow through on basic items, which reflects that the President couldn't get people to follow directives, or it just wasn't a priority. There is potentially evidence of statutory non-compliance. AD Hollis did not even formally reach out to female student-athletes until 5 months after Nassar was fired. That does not demonstrate genuine concern.

My wife graduated from COM, Dean Strampel's name is on her diploma. His failings in 2014, in light of his reputation related to being inappropriate (sexually) do not seem to be very surprising. Something smells rotten in East Lansing, and there is an impression that sexual hostility pervades the campus.

All of this, coupled with the complete lack of consideration for victims and tone deaf responses from the top leadership has basically invited a ton of scrutiny. The complete mishandling of this over 16 months lead to the galvanization of the victims and it developed into international media exposure. There is a chance that MSU may get a draconian punishment, and it wouldn't be fair to certain parties. However, sometimes, life isn't fair.

Right now, Sparty (MSU) is looking at a years-long (if not decades-long) black eye and reputation of being the state's "child molester school." Now, that's not fair to the 99 percent of the people associated with MSU who have done absolutely nothing wrong in the Nassar matter as well as ESPN's OTL piece on Mark Dantonio and the football program.

Unfortunately, current (and recent past) school leadership appears to have either taken no action at all when the allegations on the part of all these female gymnasts first came to light or they appear to have actively done things to try to cover it up or gloss it over. Former women's gymnastics coach Kathy Klages, for example, who quietly retired last February, is alleged to have pressured at least one gymnast to remain silent about her concerns, according to an ABC News report.

School president Lou Anna Simon (who just announced her retirement the other day, though she's on the job for the next 60 days to help MSU find her replacement) also appears to have been indifferent to the issues that arose as a result of the Nassar tragedy. At least one credible allegation crossed her desk and she took no action whatsoever, as far as can be told from public records, to do anything about it. She also appears to have been frozen into seeming indifference by the plight of the female gymnasts as they began telling their stories publicly.

The university police appear as a modern-day Keystone Kops in this sorry saga. They prove that NO university police department should EVER be entrusted with obvious criminal investigations.

The school supposedly conducted an internal investigation into the Nassar matter. Yet didn't commit that investigation to paper and can't produce any investigatory materials for public records requests by the media and interested parties?

The athletic director, Mark Hollis, appears to have either been out of the loop -- willingly or unwillingly, we just don't know yet -- on this tragedy which occurred within his athletic department. As one of the leaders with accountability for ALL athletes under his purview, his negligence seemingly borders on the criminal.

As you've noted, the school had a reputation, here in Michigan, for being a slightly rowdy place. Couch burning stories are legendary, for one, as is the "party school" reputation.

Combined with this and many other issues well-known to Michigan residents, and it's clear that all the good done by MSU faculty and students in almost all other areas is likely to be swept away in a sea of criminal and civil trials to come, including the actions taken by the board of trustees (former football coach George Perles, Joel Ferguson and others), who must answer for the fact that their supposed management of Simon, Hollis and all other school leaders and matters of import -- including an annual $1 BILLION budget -- seems to have been so incompetent.

"Politics is just show business for ugly people."
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