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Mel Tucker FIRED FOR CAUSE as investigation into Sexual Harassment Continues. Mark Dantonio has Returned, Serving as Associate Head Coach

Mel Tucker's November 2021 contract renewal for $9.5 million/year didn't make him the NCAA's highest paid coach, but it did put him (at the time) in 5th place. Those ahead of him: 1) Nick Saban, Alabama, 2) Dabo Swinney, Clemson, 3) Kirby Smart, Georgia, and 4) Brian Kelly, LSU. Think about their resumes, and then compare it to Tucker's: a single 5-7 season at Colorado, 2-5 COVID year at MSU in 2020, and the 9-1 start in 2021 at the time of the extension offer (he proceded to lose that day to Ohio State 56-7).

If you were an athletic director wanting to retain a coach with that resume, would your 1st offer be $9.5 million?
It wouldn't for me. Now I know you already think I'm an asshole, but take a few minutes to Google 'Reactions to Mel Tucker contract extension 2021', and then actually read them. There were a whole lot of other folks out there questioning that move too. What would your justification be for spending that kind of money on an unproven coach? Please explain.

Finally, thanks for showing your true colors with the 'racist' label. Seems to be the thing to call people when anything remotely negative is said about a non-caucasian person. If the topic ventured into LGBTQ or female territory you'd throw out one of your adjectives accusing me of some other 'phobia'. I refuse your efforts at cancellation.

By the way, I have two children. Neither is adopted, but both are biracial.
Can you figure out that one?
They are not embarrassed.
You're black and your girlfriend is white?
 
It’s a …

Dumpster Fire GIF

they should be heavy on the transfer portal out.
 
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The Michigan State AD said Mark Dantonio was a man of integrity. We all know that could not be further from the truth. During Dantonio's 13-year tenure, at least 16 Michigan State football players were accused of sexual assault or violence against women, according to interview and public records obtained by ESPN and published in a 2018 report. A former university counselor said that in at least one instance Dantonio directly intervened in a case in a way that she thought was inappropriate.

The full story from ESPN:

Michigan State hires Mark Dantonio while touting pivot from 'MSU of old'

  • i

    Dan Murphy
  • ESPN Staff Writer
  • Sep 13, 2023, 09:20 PM ET

Mark Dantonio returned to Michigan State's campus this week as an official member of the coaching staff for the first time since his sudden retirement in February 2020, stepping in to help the staff after the school suspended head coach Mel Tucker amid a sexual harassment investigation.

At a news conference Sunday announcing Tucker's suspension and the move to bring back Dantonio, Michigan State interim president Teresa Woodruff sought to draw a distinction between how the "MSU of today" was handling the investigation, versus how the "MSU of old" responded to other high-profile accusations of sexual misconduct.

But Dantonio, who coached Michigan State through one of the most successful eras in program history on the field, also presided over the team during the "MSU of old," a time when the athletic department was accused of mishandling sexual misconduct complaints. He has himself been accused of interfering in at least one case and repeatedly refused to answer questions about his role in bringing highly touted recruit Auston Robertson to campus despite the player's history of alleged sexual misconduct.

Woodruff did not take any questions Sunday, but when ESPN asked this week whether she had any concerns about the coach's return, a university spokesperson said the president "fully supports [athletic director Alan] Haller's decision to bring Dantonio back to the coaching staff."

"Mark Dantonio is a man of integrity," Haller told ESPN in a separate statement on Wednesday. "Since his retirement, he's continued to be a presence and a unifying force in the MSU community. When I called him, he selflessly offered to do whatever he could to help the football program."

Dantonio did not respond to a phone call Wednesday seeking comment.

Haller said Sunday that Dantonio, who coached Michigan State from 2007 through 2019, is an exceptional football coach and would be a "tremendous asset" for interim head coach Harlon Barnett. Barnett worked as an assistant under Dantonio and said Tuesday he expected his old boss will be a "calming presence" who will help with "all aspects of the operation" as the team tries to find its bearings.

"I'm glad he's here. I love me some Coach D," Barnett said Tuesday. "That's my guy."

Dantonio's record at Michigan State included three Big Ten championships and peaked with a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2015. His teams went 27-24 in his last four seasons as head coach.

Also during Dantonio's 13-year tenure, at least 16 Michigan State football players were accused of sexual assault or violence against women, according to interview and public records obtained by ESPN and published in a 2018 report. A former university counselor said that in at least one instance Dantonio directly intervened in a case in a way that she thought was inappropriate.

Dantonio declined to be interviewed for the 2018 story, but later said the notion that his program had mishandled any claims of abuse was "completely false."

Dantonio retired following the 2019 football season in early February 2020, an unorthodox time in the football calendar for a coach to leave a program. His departure came weeks after he collected a $4.3 million longevity bonus and hours after former staff member Curtis Blackwell alleged in a federal lawsuit that Dantonio had committed NCAA recruiting violations. Blackwell also said as part of the same legal claims that Dantonio ignored warnings from his fellow coaches about a recruit who eventually was convicted of sexually assaulting a fellow Michigan State student.

Dantonio said in 2020 that the lawsuit had "zero" impact on his decision to retire. Blackwell filed two federal lawsuits and another in state court, all three were dismissed.

Blackwell claimed in his lawsuit that he was made a scapegoat by Dantonio and others at Michigan State during a 2017 investigation into how the football program and athletic department handled two sexual assault cases involving four different football players. The investigation, conducted by the Jones Day law firm, cleared Dantonio of any wrongdoing and found that Blackwell did not properly report what he knew about one of the alleged sexual assaults to police or Title IX investigators.

In one of those cases, three freshmen -- Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance -- pleaded guilty to a charge of seduction after they were accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a party. The seduction charge is based on an antiquated law that allowed the players to plead guilty to a crime without addressing whether the woman consented to sex. The woman's parents told the judge they were disappointed that the athletes were able to strike a plea deal that did not, in their opinion, effectively deter similar crimes from happening in the future.

"This case represents everything that is wrong at Michigan State University, especially in the athletic department," her parents said.

Robertson, a classmate of those players, pleaded guilty in 2018 to assault with intent to commit criminal sexual penetration after he was accused of raping a teammate's girlfriend. Dantonio kicked him off the football team in 2017 after he was initially charged with the crime. King, Corley and Vance were also kicked off the team.

Robertson, a defensive end, received a scholarship despite a long list of past accusations of sexual crimes while he was in high school. Dantonio said the school vetted Robertson thoroughly and "took a risk" by inviting him to campus.

"We've never intentionally brought a guy in here and said, 'Hey, that guy's going to be a bad guy,'" Dantonio said after dismissing Robertson.

Two years later, Blackwell -- who helped coordinate Michigan State's recruiting efforts -- said in a lawsuit that multiple assistant coaches warned Dantonio that they were uncomfortable with bringing Robertson to campus. To date, Dantonio has never answered questions about the details of Robertson's vetting process or Blackwell's claim.


 
The Michigan State AD said Mark Dantonio was a man of integrity. We all know that could not be further from the truth. During Dantonio's 13-year tenure, at least 16 Michigan State football players were accused of sexual assault or violence against women, according to interview and public records obtained by ESPN and published in a 2018 report. A former university counselor said that in at least one instance Dantonio directly intervened in a case in a way that she thought was inappropriate.

The full story from ESPN:

Michigan State hires Mark Dantonio while touting pivot from 'MSU of old'

  • i

    Dan Murphy
  • ESPN Staff Writer
  • Sep 13, 2023, 09:20 PM ET

Mark Dantonio returned to Michigan State's campus this week as an official member of the coaching staff for the first time since his sudden retirement in February 2020, stepping in to help the staff after the school suspended head coach Mel Tucker amid a sexual harassment investigation.

At a news conference Sunday announcing Tucker's suspension and the move to bring back Dantonio, Michigan State interim president Teresa Woodruff sought to draw a distinction between how the "MSU of today" was handling the investigation, versus how the "MSU of old" responded to other high-profile accusations of sexual misconduct.

But Dantonio, who coached Michigan State through one of the most successful eras in program history on the field, also presided over the team during the "MSU of old," a time when the athletic department was accused of mishandling sexual misconduct complaints. He has himself been accused of interfering in at least one case and repeatedly refused to answer questions about his role in bringing highly touted recruit Auston Robertson to campus despite the player's history of alleged sexual misconduct.

Woodruff did not take any questions Sunday, but when ESPN asked this week whether she had any concerns about the coach's return, a university spokesperson said the president "fully supports [athletic director Alan] Haller's decision to bring Dantonio back to the coaching staff."

"Mark Dantonio is a man of integrity," Haller told ESPN in a separate statement on Wednesday. "Since his retirement, he's continued to be a presence and a unifying force in the MSU community. When I called him, he selflessly offered to do whatever he could to help the football program."

Dantonio did not respond to a phone call Wednesday seeking comment.

Haller said Sunday that Dantonio, who coached Michigan State from 2007 through 2019, is an exceptional football coach and would be a "tremendous asset" for interim head coach Harlon Barnett. Barnett worked as an assistant under Dantonio and said Tuesday he expected his old boss will be a "calming presence" who will help with "all aspects of the operation" as the team tries to find its bearings.

"I'm glad he's here. I love me some Coach D," Barnett said Tuesday. "That's my guy."

Dantonio's record at Michigan State included three Big Ten championships and peaked with a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2015. His teams went 27-24 in his last four seasons as head coach.

Also during Dantonio's 13-year tenure, at least 16 Michigan State football players were accused of sexual assault or violence against women, according to interview and public records obtained by ESPN and published in a 2018 report. A former university counselor said that in at least one instance Dantonio directly intervened in a case in a way that she thought was inappropriate.

Dantonio declined to be interviewed for the 2018 story, but later said the notion that his program had mishandled any claims of abuse was "completely false."

Dantonio retired following the 2019 football season in early February 2020, an unorthodox time in the football calendar for a coach to leave a program. His departure came weeks after he collected a $4.3 million longevity bonus and hours after former staff member Curtis Blackwell alleged in a federal lawsuit that Dantonio had committed NCAA recruiting violations. Blackwell also said as part of the same legal claims that Dantonio ignored warnings from his fellow coaches about a recruit who eventually was convicted of sexually assaulting a fellow Michigan State student.

Dantonio said in 2020 that the lawsuit had "zero" impact on his decision to retire. Blackwell filed two federal lawsuits and another in state court, all three were dismissed.

Blackwell claimed in his lawsuit that he was made a scapegoat by Dantonio and others at Michigan State during a 2017 investigation into how the football program and athletic department handled two sexual assault cases involving four different football players. The investigation, conducted by the Jones Day law firm, cleared Dantonio of any wrongdoing and found that Blackwell did not properly report what he knew about one of the alleged sexual assaults to police or Title IX investigators.

In one of those cases, three freshmen -- Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance -- pleaded guilty to a charge of seduction after they were accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a party. The seduction charge is based on an antiquated law that allowed the players to plead guilty to a crime without addressing whether the woman consented to sex. The woman's parents told the judge they were disappointed that the athletes were able to strike a plea deal that did not, in their opinion, effectively deter similar crimes from happening in the future.

"This case represents everything that is wrong at Michigan State University, especially in the athletic department," her parents said.

Robertson, a classmate of those players, pleaded guilty in 2018 to assault with intent to commit criminal sexual penetration after he was accused of raping a teammate's girlfriend. Dantonio kicked him off the football team in 2017 after he was initially charged with the crime. King, Corley and Vance were also kicked off the team.

Robertson, a defensive end, received a scholarship despite a long list of past accusations of sexual crimes while he was in high school. Dantonio said the school vetted Robertson thoroughly and "took a risk" by inviting him to campus.

"We've never intentionally brought a guy in here and said, 'Hey, that guy's going to be a bad guy,'" Dantonio said after dismissing Robertson.

Two years later, Blackwell -- who helped coordinate Michigan State's recruiting efforts -- said in a lawsuit that multiple assistant coaches warned Dantonio that they were uncomfortable with bringing Robertson to campus. To date, Dantonio has never answered questions about the details of Robertson's vetting process or Blackwell's claim.


It’s incredible that they think this was the way to go.
 
The Michigan State AD said Mark Dantonio was a man of integrity. We all know that could not be further from the truth. During Dantonio's 13-year tenure, at least 16 Michigan State football players were accused of sexual assault or violence against women, according to interview and public records obtained by ESPN and published in a 2018 report. A former university counselor said that in at least one instance Dantonio directly intervened in a case in a way that she thought was inappropriate.

The full story from ESPN:

Michigan State hires Mark Dantonio while touting pivot from 'MSU of old'

  • i

    Dan Murphy
  • ESPN Staff Writer
  • Sep 13, 2023, 09:20 PM ET

Mark Dantonio returned to Michigan State's campus this week as an official member of the coaching staff for the first time since his sudden retirement in February 2020, stepping in to help the staff after the school suspended head coach Mel Tucker amid a sexual harassment investigation.

At a news conference Sunday announcing Tucker's suspension and the move to bring back Dantonio, Michigan State interim president Teresa Woodruff sought to draw a distinction between how the "MSU of today" was handling the investigation, versus how the "MSU of old" responded to other high-profile accusations of sexual misconduct.

But Dantonio, who coached Michigan State through one of the most successful eras in program history on the field, also presided over the team during the "MSU of old," a time when the athletic department was accused of mishandling sexual misconduct complaints. He has himself been accused of interfering in at least one case and repeatedly refused to answer questions about his role in bringing highly touted recruit Auston Robertson to campus despite the player's history of alleged sexual misconduct.

Woodruff did not take any questions Sunday, but when ESPN asked this week whether she had any concerns about the coach's return, a university spokesperson said the president "fully supports [athletic director Alan] Haller's decision to bring Dantonio back to the coaching staff."

"Mark Dantonio is a man of integrity," Haller told ESPN in a separate statement on Wednesday. "Since his retirement, he's continued to be a presence and a unifying force in the MSU community. When I called him, he selflessly offered to do whatever he could to help the football program."

Dantonio did not respond to a phone call Wednesday seeking comment.

Haller said Sunday that Dantonio, who coached Michigan State from 2007 through 2019, is an exceptional football coach and would be a "tremendous asset" for interim head coach Harlon Barnett. Barnett worked as an assistant under Dantonio and said Tuesday he expected his old boss will be a "calming presence" who will help with "all aspects of the operation" as the team tries to find its bearings.

"I'm glad he's here. I love me some Coach D," Barnett said Tuesday. "That's my guy."

Dantonio's record at Michigan State included three Big Ten championships and peaked with a trip to the College Football Playoff in 2015. His teams went 27-24 in his last four seasons as head coach.

Also during Dantonio's 13-year tenure, at least 16 Michigan State football players were accused of sexual assault or violence against women, according to interview and public records obtained by ESPN and published in a 2018 report. A former university counselor said that in at least one instance Dantonio directly intervened in a case in a way that she thought was inappropriate.

Dantonio declined to be interviewed for the 2018 story, but later said the notion that his program had mishandled any claims of abuse was "completely false."

Dantonio retired following the 2019 football season in early February 2020, an unorthodox time in the football calendar for a coach to leave a program. His departure came weeks after he collected a $4.3 million longevity bonus and hours after former staff member Curtis Blackwell alleged in a federal lawsuit that Dantonio had committed NCAA recruiting violations. Blackwell also said as part of the same legal claims that Dantonio ignored warnings from his fellow coaches about a recruit who eventually was convicted of sexually assaulting a fellow Michigan State student.

Dantonio said in 2020 that the lawsuit had "zero" impact on his decision to retire. Blackwell filed two federal lawsuits and another in state court, all three were dismissed.

Blackwell claimed in his lawsuit that he was made a scapegoat by Dantonio and others at Michigan State during a 2017 investigation into how the football program and athletic department handled two sexual assault cases involving four different football players. The investigation, conducted by the Jones Day law firm, cleared Dantonio of any wrongdoing and found that Blackwell did not properly report what he knew about one of the alleged sexual assaults to police or Title IX investigators.

In one of those cases, three freshmen -- Josh King, Donnie Corley and Demetric Vance -- pleaded guilty to a charge of seduction after they were accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a party. The seduction charge is based on an antiquated law that allowed the players to plead guilty to a crime without addressing whether the woman consented to sex. The woman's parents told the judge they were disappointed that the athletes were able to strike a plea deal that did not, in their opinion, effectively deter similar crimes from happening in the future.

"This case represents everything that is wrong at Michigan State University, especially in the athletic department," her parents said.

Robertson, a classmate of those players, pleaded guilty in 2018 to assault with intent to commit criminal sexual penetration after he was accused of raping a teammate's girlfriend. Dantonio kicked him off the football team in 2017 after he was initially charged with the crime. King, Corley and Vance were also kicked off the team.

Robertson, a defensive end, received a scholarship despite a long list of past accusations of sexual crimes while he was in high school. Dantonio said the school vetted Robertson thoroughly and "took a risk" by inviting him to campus.

"We've never intentionally brought a guy in here and said, 'Hey, that guy's going to be a bad guy,'" Dantonio said after dismissing Robertson.

Two years later, Blackwell -- who helped coordinate Michigan State's recruiting efforts -- said in a lawsuit that multiple assistant coaches warned Dantonio that they were uncomfortable with bringing Robertson to campus. To date, Dantonio has never answered questions about the details of Robertson's vetting process or Blackwell's claim.


You think any reporter will ask whether Dantonio is appropriate to have in any role?
 
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Since we have Deion as a HC, could we please get Keyshawn Johnson or Michael Irvin up there at Mich State?
 
so is Male Tugger fired or not?

As part of his contract:

* MSU has to provide written notice of intent to terminate his contract for cause, which they did today.

* Tucker has 7 calendar days to respond & present reasons to the AD & President as to why he should not be terminated for cause.

Not sure what happens after Tucker responds.

It's just gonna get ugly...or uglier. Unless some new evidence comes to light, Tucker is done coaching at MSU and will want to be paid the remaining value of the contract; MSU wants to pay him $0.00. Will the 2 sides meet in the middle at some point or will the dispute go to trial?
 
I will save a bunch of time. This could be tied up in courts for years. MSU.is not keeping Tucker. That jus can’t and won’t happen now. They need to figure out a buyout and settle.

Tucker can go to Alabama and work under Saban for a couple of years and try to resurrect his career.
 
The ridiculous buyouts at the end of the 2022 fiscal year:

Total
Pay
............Buyout.....Coach
$9.56M....$86.69M....Mel Tucker
$8.78M.....$52.42M....Ryan Day
$8.50M....$72.67M....James Franklin
$8.11M.......$35.41M....Jim Harbaugh
$7.00M....$43.00M....Kirk Ferentz
$5.37M.........................Pat Fitzgerald
$5.25M.....$50,000....Paul Chryst
$5.10M......$24.38M...Jeff Brohm
$5.00M......$19.77M...PJ Fleck
$4.31M......$24.90M...Tom Allen
$4.30M.......$10.13M...Brett Bielema
$4.00M........................Scott Frost
$4.00M.......$11.27M...Mike Locksley
$4.00M.......$16.14M....Greg Schiano


Source:

 
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