Michigan State Appears to be Fine after Alleged Michigan Violations
by Pete Rossman on Aug 30, 2009 1:48 PM CDT
in Michigan State Spartans Football
11 comments
So this happened (HT: Spartalytical). As for Michigan, I don't think the NCAA will dole out any punishment. What will most likely happen is that Michigan will self-impose some sanctions, maybe cut a couple scholarships, and the NCAA won't see the need to look into those violations any further. However, this hints to a growing schism (man I've heard that word a lot in the past couple days. Thanks Brett Favre!) in the locker room, and if you don't think losing a locker room can affect a program, Bobby Williams has a sweet deal for you on a 2001 Toyota Camry.
As for Michigan State, the Free Press published an article with quotes from Javon Ringer and Otis Wiley stating that everything was by the book. The most telling quote though is one from recent transfer David Duran:
Did Duran ever feel seven-on-sevens were mandatory?
"In no way," said Duran, a sophomore from Marietta, Ga. "It was the QBs calling us and saying, ‘If you want to come out, we’ll be throwing at this time.’ "
This article was most likely published to contrast the recent goings-on at Michigan, and succeeds in providing that contrast. I wonder why no current Spartan players were contacted, but that thought is nothing that'll cause me to lose sleep.
In the grand scheme of things, this alleged rules violation will be viewed in wins and losses. If Michigan goes 8-4 this season and avoids the NCAA's hammer (which will most likely happen), the incident will be seen as a mere speed bump. However, if the Wolverines are under .500 this season, the incident could be seen as the tipping point that led to Rich Rodriguez's dismissal.
0 recs |
11 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Maize 'en Brew
has a reasoned Michigan-side reaction to the situation here.
Cheer for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Aug 30, 2009 2:52 PM CDT reply actions
Beauford
His reactions are pretty even keeled compared to the rest of the M-internet that have been trying to blame Rosenberg (who co-wrote the piece with a Michigan alumnus) or throw the players that came forward under the bus as lazy whiners, rather than frustrated student athletes.
As for penalties, if the NCAA docked practice time from them and monitored to make sure this penalty was followed during the season, that would be enough punishment in my eyes. Plus the hope that their recruiting class implodes.
Light a man a fire, he'll stay warm for a day.
Light a man afire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
Maize & Brew is a bit off-base in saying that Rosenberg doesn’t have an agenda — I don’t think he’s written a single thing about Rodriguez since he was hired that wasn’t negative. I’m not sure what his problem is, but this isn’t an unbiased reporter. When it comes to all things Rich Rodriguez, Rosenberg is a clone of Drew Sharp (who, if Jesus Christ himself were a sports figure, would find something negative to write of Him). He didn’t even try to look at the actual rules (wherein he would have figured out that a fair bit of those long Sundays don’t count toward the total), which is hilarious considering he says the poor overworked freshmen just don’t know the rules. Not to mention conveniently leaving out that the illegally overworked team actually set a program record for team GPA last year, which must be a miracle considering the alleged blatant overwork. Rosenberg set out to write yet another article/column ripping Rodriguez, and so he selectively talked to people who would tell him what he wanted to hear.
Here’s the senior editor of The New Republic hammering Rosenberg, and especially Rosenberg’s editor, for their journalistic hackery.
http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=982287
Oh, and I’m more than amused that Toney Clemons is one of the sources and he’s transferred to play for the guy who made this response to a parent complaining about the “voluntary” offseason workouts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4T26x6GZEw
by Yinka Double Dare on Aug 31, 2009 11:54 AM CDT reply actions
Looks to me like a lot of this is wildly blown out of proportion. Even if most of it is “voluntary” only in the sense that “you can skip it if you want, but you’re never seeing the field on game day if you do”, the actual rule on it is so full of loopholes that it would take astounding incompetence not to make it work out somehow.
Precisely
And Rodriguez has been in this for 20 years. There’s no way they didn’t structure this to fall firmly in the “voluntary” grey area that everyone exploits.
The only possible violation in Rosenberg’s article (since I’m firmly convinced that Rosenberg intentionally is ignoring the whole “voluntary” thing because if he actually looked at the whole story he wouldn’t be getting his facetime on ESPN) is if there were quality control personnel at the 7-on-7s. As I understand it, that would be a definite violation. But if that’s all there is, Michigan docks one scholarship for a year, promises never to do it again, and NCAA says “good enough.” And that of course assumes Rosenberg is right, which given his pretty clear agenda is certainly in doubt.
God, I can’t wait for the season to begin so there’s actual football to talk about instead of position battles and the vacillating minds of 17 year old kids. 5 days…
by Yinka Double Dare on Aug 31, 2009 1:25 PM CDT up reply actions
Agreed on that last point
Thanks for the posting the Rivals piece by Chait.
Not sure I’m buying the “Rosenberg is too biased to report this story” line of thinking. Facts are facts. On that note, the fact he didn’t follow up on whether the activities were specifically subject to the NCAA time limits is more damning.
After U-M conducts its investigation (which they will have every incentive to doing as rigorously and honestly as possible to avoid seriously upsetting the NCAA), I think either the university or the Rosenberg will look fairly foolish.
Cheer for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Aug 31, 2009 1:38 PM CDT up reply actions
I think...
…Chait is far off-base and the New Republic lives in a big, fancy glass mansion. He conveniently doesn’t mention Mark Snyder, the Freep’s U of M beat reporter who shared a byline on the stories with Rosenberg. And B.S. on the claim that political writers don’t both opine and report, they do so all the time, especially at magazines like the New Republic.
I don’t necessarily dispute the claim that Michael Rosenberg has a hate-on for Rodriguez. I don’t care enough to read the Freep’s U of M coverage, except when something major happens, but let’s say that’s true. The story is either accurate or not. What I have read from Rosenberg does drip with ’we’re too good for this country hick,’ which is emblematic of the fancy, snooty tendency to regard Michigan football as the this great and shiny thing that can’t be sullied. Personally, if Rich Rodriguez gets that sort of U of M fan’s nose out of joint, then I say, good on Rich Rodriguez. It’s the same bunch that looks down on MSU, not the sports teams only, but the university, too, and calls us a cow college, like that’s a bad thing to be. If they’d like to eat lawyers, they’re welcome to try. I was raised by a pair of MSU DVMs who did large animal work and was taught to abhor that kinda of attitude in general and from U of M types in particular. I don’t care for them and certainly don’t respect their opinions. If they don’t like something, that’s probably a clue to give it a chance.
Yinka DD makes a good point that the coaches at 7 on 7s is definitely the strongest bit of the case. Just common sense, if someone asks you how long you did such and such on Sunday, you’ll generally have a less precise answer than if they ask you if so and so was there, right?
by witless chum on Sep 1, 2009 11:30 AM CDT up reply actions 1 recs
Making much ado about nothing
I think the Freep is way off base here. I stand with Michigan on this, for two reasons: first, I think the Freep is shamelessly trying to restore its readership through yellow journalism, and secondly, because it’s only a matter of time before htey find someone they don’t like at MSU and do the same thing.
That said, what’s nagging at me a little is Rodriguez’ emotional press conference today. Should have been easy for him to stand there resolutely and say, “nope, we didn’t break the rules, end of story”. Do y’all think he’s feeling pressure, rightly or wrongly, from inside the Michigan athletic department?
Whether justified or not,
I think he probably feels a bit like Job at this point.
"Do not cheat your team or your teammates. Know your plays. Block. Protect. Add to what we are trying to do."
The Only Colors
OK,
I’m more on the Free Press-doesn’t-know-what-it’s-doing side of things now.
Cheer for The Only Colors: Green and White!
by KJ@theonlycolors on Aug 31, 2009 3:27 PM CDT reply actions
NCAA cops
I don’t expect anything from the NCAA cops. Ever. This has been brewing since summer of ‘08 when Rodriquez wouldn’t let any players go to Saginaw to participate in LaMar Woodley’s one day junior high camp because they had to participate in mandatory “voluntary” weight lifting. Given that the NCAA ignored Jim Carty’s articles in the recently deceased Ann Arbor News about the academic fraud at UM, with the athletic department and the academic side of the U conniving to keep players eligible, I wouldn’t expect any more than a white wash on this no matter what’s going on. Like they used to say about NCAA basketball enforcement, The NCAA is so mad at Kentucky that in order to teach them a lesson Cleveland State gets a three year probation. I suppose the football equivalent is that Alabama buys players and Troy State loses scholarships.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
Related FanPosts on The Only Colors
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
