OT: MSU suspends women's gymnastics coach.
Michigan State University has suspended longtime women's gymnastics coach Kathie Klages in the midst of a sexual assault investigation related to former team doctor Larry Nassar, according to an email the State Journal obtained.
So much awfulness going over there it's hard to keep track.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2017/02/13/msu-susp…
February 13th, 2017 at 5:03 PM ^
I believe you are hitting the nail on the head, and it looks like they are going to take a big hit here.
Gymnastics scandal could end up being a permanent stain.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:50 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 5:18 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 3:56 PM ^
Is Jackie Joseph next? She seems to have 9 lives.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:14 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 4:27 PM ^
Thats kind of what I'd heard about MSU's athletic department, its a real instutional good ol' boys network and things like team performance or discipline don't matter if you are in with the long-time adminstrators. I don't know for sure, but I'd suspect creep-o Nasser was well connected with that group and people were willing to ignore rumors that kept coming out based on it.
February 13th, 2017 at 3:57 PM ^
More tip of the iceberg stuff.
Nassar is a continuing investigation, but it is already much more than that---a concurrent state and federal prosecution, which does not often happen.
This is going to be a tragic story of rather large proportions for quite some time by the looks of it.
Very sad.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 3:59 PM ^
I suppose this coach's suspension is temporary until the firing. I don't see how she could survive this.
February 13th, 2017 at 3:59 PM ^
literally sickening :(
February 13th, 2017 at 4:01 PM ^
Man, that guy will take ANY job.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:04 PM ^
I might watch too much TV. It's possible.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:02 PM ^
As I said in my soon-to-be-deleted thread above, the intitial events in these scandals could happen anywhere, including at Michigan. I would like to think that the difference would be the reaction of coaches and administrators when they found out. I think most people reserve their most intense anger for those that cover up and deny so they can win more games, save their jobs, or preserve their legacy.
Those kinds of situations-Baylor, Penn State, to a seemingly lesser extent the situation in the article-truly call for programs to GET, not just face, the death penalty.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^
Every university is susceptible to having students and those around the program commit sexual assaults. There are two ways, in my mind, that it really stains the university where the assaults occur:
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Cover-ups. When a school covers up, denies, or obfuscates for whatever reasons, they've automatically failed on their fundamental mission. Their job, at brass tacks, is to look after young adults, educate them, and help them grow. When winning games - games, for fuck's sake!! - gets in front of that, something is terribly awry.
- Culture. While these assaults can occur anywhere, a school is also responsible for establishing a culture of respect and responsibility. While some of this stuff occurs at almost every school, if it happens at a particular school with unusual frequency, you have to at least consider if there is a cultural problem.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:04 PM ^
There are a lot of state and federal resources being brought to bear. Trust me, they WILL get to the bottom of this.
Question for MgoLawyers: According to civil court docs Klages dismissed complains of abuse from girls, possibly told them to not speak about it. Would Klages be a mandatory reporter according to the law? Should she be worried about a criminal case?
I've seen how investigations like this go and government attorneys are not afraid to liberally fling charges at people to get what they want.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:19 PM ^
Mandatory reporting provisions have more civil than criminal implications. Jobs, civil liablity, and custodial arrangements are most often affected.
That said, it all depends on what Klages was told, and what she said and actions she took or failed to take after being so informed. Criminal accomplice liablity can always take place "after the fact", and there are witness-intimidation type laws in every jurisdiction.
I am sure she is worried about a lot of stuff, but charging her with a crime in such a situation would be unusual.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:28 PM ^
Thanks. Sure looks that way. Quick googling showed that it's a misdemeanor in Mich. with a light penalty. The civil liability seems like it would be worse.
I'm also starting to wonder about Mark Hollis' job security. Not saying any of this reaches his level or is even expressly his fault (as far as I know), but if I'm an MSU trustee I might need someone to fall on their sword.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:17 PM ^
This appears to be a textbook example of a lack of institutional control.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:20 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 4:28 PM ^
This is a good, if depressing, point.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:56 PM ^
Cooper's situation happened in October; he was charged in November. It was let loose to the public last week.
The band director thing happened a year ago. It was let loose to the public last week.
It's called a data purge. In corporate America when you have bad news you announce it all late on a Friday evening. This is how this felt - they dumped all that stuff out the same day as the sexual assault press release.
Like others, I am amazed at how quiet the MSU beat writers keep all this stuff. I get that Dantonio will withold access to the program if they you know... "do their job" but sheesh. Many years later and no one has reported the details of Bullough for example although Rexrode has publicly stated he knew the details etc. It is an interesting dynamic.
I am not following it close enough to remember who reported the band director and spitting thing - was it the press or MSU? I thought it was the press. Were they holding it under their hat this whole time, and MSU told them "now it's ok to tell the public" ? If so it's a very weird situation for a beholden press to be acting as a lackey and only releasing news when the school says they can. I don't remember 3 press releases, just the sexual assualt one. Maybe I am wrong on the last point and MSU released details on all 3 situations the same time...
February 13th, 2017 at 6:03 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 8:05 PM ^
comment on the Max Bullough dismissal?
February 13th, 2017 at 8:28 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 10:38 PM ^
Believe it or not, that's pretty low on the list of concerns at this point in time.
February 13th, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^
Wonder if this will finally make someone take a second look at the way the Appling/Payne allegations were handled.
February 13th, 2017 at 7:54 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 4:29 PM ^
Pretty sad so many unstable people here who can't wait to run here and post about another school having such awful issues.
February 13th, 2017 at 5:46 PM ^
Or maybe we just don't like people getting away with sexual assault, rape, and cheating for decades?
February 13th, 2017 at 8:13 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 11:19 PM ^
February 14th, 2017 at 7:53 PM ^
Uh, its relevant news, talking about news is kinda what message boards are for.
February 13th, 2017 at 9:46 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 4:34 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 4:36 PM ^
Former Twistars gymnast Valerie Webb joined me today on @SchuilingReport, in support of Larry Nassar. Listen below.https://t.co/ULrPkLQl6Q
— Ryan Schuiling (@RyanSchuiling) February 13, 2017
February 14th, 2017 at 10:05 AM ^
good for him. on a scale of 1 to kellyanne conway how tired do i look?
February 13th, 2017 at 4:58 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 5:07 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 6:19 PM ^
Delusional MSU fans claim that the Detroit media shut down any negative stories about Michigan and generally exists to serve Michigan's interests. This of course makes no sense given that they tried to destroy our program for a couple minutes of extra stretching, but don't let facts get in the way of their nonsense.
February 13th, 2017 at 6:44 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 8:41 PM ^
You wont believe this but there were a sizeable number of OSU fans who honestly believed THEY got the short end of the officiating stick this past November and it was only through their superior play they were able to overcome the obvious "pro M" bias from the officiating crew. They pointed to the head official being from Michigan as being proof of an anti OSU conspiricy wiuthin the B1G 10.
Not making that up. They honestly believe that.
February 14th, 2017 at 8:37 AM ^
they also refer to the eighty percenters as two percenters. as in the percentage of fans who give the rest a bad name. delusional is not sufficient as an adjective. need something more technical/medical i think. oh and WHORE WHORE WHORE.
February 13th, 2017 at 7:58 PM ^
What do you mean by local media? Lansing?
In the OP's article there's a link to literally dozens of LSJ stories about Nassar. Many of them have been on the Freep site too, since it's the same company.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2017/01/11/larry-na…
February 13th, 2017 at 11:49 PM ^
LSJ? Freep? No one reads newspapers anymore, especially not those rags. man. Cmon
February 13th, 2017 at 5:02 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 5:09 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 5:28 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 5:47 PM ^
February 13th, 2017 at 6:36 PM ^
I take no joy in MSU falling apart and potentially being sanctioned. Evil is compounded by institutional coverups and control. It all comes out eventually. Hope this brings needed change.