ijohnb

January 29th, 2018 at 8:36 AM ^

There is one thing I am sure of it is that Michigan State is going to rally around this “Disrespect“ and make a huge run in basketball. In all seriousness though, they were playing with the weight of the world on their shoulders before this, now that nobody cares in the big picture I am guessing they will play loose and without a care in the world. I thought that team was close to collapsing before this. Now I think there is a good chance they will win it all. That will be awkward.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

jmblue

January 29th, 2018 at 8:49 AM ^

Would you predict Michigan to go on a run if our coach were in this crucible?  Izzo looked ready to break down in the press conference.  I can't imagine his mind's fully on the job right now.

This isn't your standard, Wayne Fontes-style "if we win we keep Coach around another year" kind of thing.  Izzo is probably gone due to things that took place off the court.  That's not really a great motivator.  I think they'll still win a fair number of games because they're a good team, but this does them no favors.  

(The part of me that likes conspiracy theories also suspects the NCAA will give them a terrible draw and an unfavorable whistle in the tournament.  It doesn't want this story anywhere near the Final Four.)

 

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102713

ijohnb

January 29th, 2018 at 9:40 AM ^

is my belief in basketball that players and teams with a lot of talent play better the less they think about and the more they simply rely on instinct.  I don't think Michigan State is a team that needs a whole lot of coaching as constructed, and in fact, that the more Izzo tightened his strangle hold on them, the worse off they were.  They are constructed as a team that just needs to play.  I really don't care who the coach is by the end of the season, I think they are more dangerous now than ever. 

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

Ty Butterfield

January 29th, 2018 at 9:27 AM ^

Agree that MSU could go on a run. I think Izzo hangs on until the end of this season and his team will want to send him out a winner.

Joined: 09/07/2009

MGoPoints: -81685

Hard-Baughlls

January 29th, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^

Healing process began when they beat OSU if I recall correctly, according to Franklin. Now they are recruiting like crazy and winning at a high level and the joe-hadists feel fully redeemed. Sickening. Maybe we need a “healing process” from RRs stretchgate in order to jump start the program?

Joined: 09/28/2016

MGoPoints: 6637

loosekanen

January 29th, 2018 at 6:55 AM ^

I'm not a huge fan of Izzo, and I don't doubt the veracity of her statement, but it is that, a statement. No need to title your thread like a BuzzFeed article.

Joined: 10/03/2009

MGoPoints: 923

UMForLife

January 29th, 2018 at 7:03 AM ^

Wow. Those comments. I never read comments on Twitter about Izzo. There was a guy saying shut was made up about Art Briles. I do wish she would have clarified a little bit more about why she felt that Izzo was victim blaming. May be it is a feeling she got based on the responses. But this is not good look for Izzo and it is going to keep coming for Izzo and Dantonio.

Joined: 11/04/2013

MGoPoints: 63393

The Fugitive

January 29th, 2018 at 8:08 AM ^

Idk enough about her line of work to know if whistle blowing is part of the job description or if she's required to keep the conversation confidential. My point is it's easy for all these people to pile on now but where were was this lady when she first had these thoughts on MSU athletics? It's easy for me to say, "Stand up for something" but still. It seems like that wouldn't be info to sit on.

Joined: 01/26/2016

MGoPoints: 77268

bacon1431

January 29th, 2018 at 9:11 AM ^

She’s been educating athletes and universities around the country on title IX issues and rape culture. If she would just spout off the awful shit she hears coaches say over the phone, how many schools do you think she would be able to work with? Besides, victim blaming, while being fucking stupid and reprehensible, is not illegal. All she would have done by coming out publicly on what he said on the phone would be to alienate herself and not be able to continue the good work she is doing. She did nothing wrong in this.

Joined: 07/26/2008

MGoPoints: 25277

Perkis-Size Me

January 29th, 2018 at 9:25 AM ^

You've got to understand the mindset of survivors of sexual assault. Not that I'm a survivor, and not that she was assaulted by Izzo. Not saying that at all. But the reasons for her remaining quiet about this conversation until now are largely the same. 

Simply put, it was her word against his. You're trying to discredit one of the most powerful men in college sports, and all the public had to go on (at the time) was your word. As horrible as it sounds, it's more likely that the story would've been dismissed and her reputation be destroyed rather than direct action be taken against Izzo. It's the fear that no one will believe you, and all you will be seen as in the end is a liar and someone who is trying to sabotage a basketball team and its beloved coach. 

There's also the fear of retaliation against you in more personal ways. There are plenty of crazies in every fanbase (Michigan included) and you have to wonder how many bricks would've gone through her front window, or death threats left in her mailbox, from people infuriated at the idea of someone going after their coach. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 105353

Lou MacAdoo

January 29th, 2018 at 2:00 PM ^

It’s always the same thing with these monsters. They control with fear and manipulation. They have the power and the numbers on their side. That is until the gig is up and the truth is revealed. Then everyone’s left mind blown and wondering how they got away with it for so long. It is what it is and it will continue until the end of our days. The bravery of those who face that fear and speak up should never be mocked or brushed aside. I love that this woman is addressing the apathy of Tom Izzo. It’s a major part of the problem.

Joined: 10/16/2011

MGoPoints: 6398

4roses

January 29th, 2018 at 9:25 AM ^

I added a link below to a great piece on Brenda Tracy for background. Long story short, she is a victim of campus sexual assault and now spends time as an activist. One of her main contributions is giving talks to teams - primarily football. 

Regarding her tweet, she was merely sharing her assessement that Izzo's attitude toward sexual assault is pretty poor. This isn't some game changing fact that qualifies as whistle blowing, as you alluded. Given what she is doing in her activism, if she would make her thoughts public every time she had an uncomfortable conversation with a coach, she would soon find herself not being invited to address teams and thus kill what she is trying to achieve. In this partuicluar case though, given the context of recent events at MSU and the revelations by ESPN, sharing her thoughts on Izzo will most likely not affect her work as there is a public outcry for institutions to fix things.      

 

https://www.theringer.com/features/2017/11/6/16599528/brenda-tracy-advocate-against-college-football-rape-culture

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 5865

jmblue

January 29th, 2018 at 9:40 AM ^

From the story:

 

A 1995 study, relying on data collected from 1991 to 1993, showed that while male athletes comprise only 3.3 percent of their gender’s student population, they were involved in 19 percent of reported sexual assault cases. A 2015 study from economists at Texas A&M, Montana State University, and the University of Wollongong in Australia showed a stark correlation between college football game days and reports of rape among 17-to-24-year-old women. Those reports increased by 41 percent on home game days and 15 percent on away game days, with an 82 percent increase on the days of rivalry games.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102713

4roses

January 29th, 2018 at 8:02 AM ^

A year ago there wasn't an ESPN OTL feature blasting MSU and Izzo. I'm also guessing that having a conversation with a coach who "doesn't get it" is not all that uncommon for her. Now that things have blown up at MSU and Izzo is being accused directly, I don't think Brenda Tracy's tweet is out of line.    

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 5865

Reader71

January 29th, 2018 at 8:32 AM ^

Because before OTL, he was just an old man who blamed the victims of rape. That’s barely news. Now that people have seen the extent of the problems in his program, his mentality becomes much more important. Suppose he made comments about not liking dogs. No big deal. But suppose a year later, he is accused of covering up his players kicking dogs. See how those earlier comments are now a bigger deal?

Joined: 08/30/2009

MGoPoints: 22968

Blue Ninja

January 29th, 2018 at 8:09 AM ^

Up until a few months ago would anyone have listened? Up until Weinstein happened sexual assault and abuse stories got a small amount of press and in this it wasn’t an assault so would have been a non story, one that we as Michigan fans would have railed on about but national media would have dropped it quickly. Until the past few months how many of us have spoken out against sexual assault especially in sports? Every time a new story happens we talk about it for a few minutes and then we move on. We have an issue in the sports world and culture in general. We need to change that.

Joined: 11/17/2009

MGoPoints: 5690

Perkis-Size Me

January 29th, 2018 at 8:46 AM ^

Because it would've been her against the world. Because MSU wasn't already under fire. Because Izzo was (and in some ways still is) untouchable. Very few would've had reason to believe her, and it's more likely that her career would've been destroyed than any real action be taken against Izzo. It would've been her word against the word of one of the most powerful, famous, and well-respected coaches in the game. 

It's very much the same reason that many sexual assault survivors are afraid to come forward about their experiences. They're afraid that no one will believe them and they also fear retaliation. Especially if the person who assaulted them is in a position of power or happens to be their manager or some other superior. That's why many of them (unfortunately) keep quiet until they feel it is safe to come forward. 

Joined: 11/30/2011

MGoPoints: 105353

Indy Pete - Go Blue

January 29th, 2018 at 8:07 AM ^

Seriously, I am questioning his intelligence more and more.  At least have the wherewithal to show empathy for the victims with her, right?  I mean, of all people, you are victim shaming in a conversation with a sexual assault lobbyist - at this point in time.  This is unbelievable.

Joined: 01/23/2018

MGoPoints: 156353