Interesting comments on Recruiting Roundup re Blackwell/MSU
Sam Webb was talking about an interview he did with Derrick Tatum, a former NFL player who now runs an elite athlete training academy down in Georgia. Sounds like it's similar to what Blackwell was doing at Sound Mind Sound Body. Tatum is currently training some of the elite guys that Michigan is recruiting, one of them being Quindarius Monday.
At the end of the interview with Tatum, Webb turned off the recorder, but Tatum asked him to turn it back on in order to make one last comment on the record. Tatum wanted to make it clear that he won't be taking guys to MSU anymore given what Tatum perceived to be the poor treatment of Blackwell by MSU. Sam didn't play audio clips or quote Tatum, but sounds like Tatum basically vouched for Blackwell's character and felt he got scapegoated. Sam made it sound like Tatum's sentiment wasn't just limited to Tatum but was held by other guys in elite recruiting/training circles. Wasn't clear how much Tatum knew about the specifics of what went down with the 3 players, though.
Tatum and guys like him felt that there was clearly one person responsible for the culture issues at MSU and it wasn't Blackwell. Sam didn't elaborate on who that person was, but indicated that Blackwell's treatment is likely to have an impact longer-term for MSU recruiting.
I just thought it was interesting given that most on this board have already declared Blackwell guilty (of something), which I think is a bit unfair. MSU's AD has told their side of the story but Blackwell hasn't had an opportunity to tell his yet. Frankly, at this point, I'd trust Blackwell more than anyone in MSU's AD given their track record to date.
Frankly, who knows? I sure don't. But given that like so much of life perception is all that really matters here, this is just one more nail in MSU's coffin. Blackwell could be guilty as sin and MSU did the right thing, but if he has supporters out there that are now going to come to his defense and bash MSU, all the worse for MSU. Dantonio can't/won't comment any more on the situation for legal and liability reasons, I would imagine, so it'll be a "she said, he didn't say" case, and MSU loses all around. It's glorious chaos, and makes 2008 to 2015 seem slightly less painful...
You're a sad, strange little man, aren't you?
My understanding was Blackwell got railroaded a bit, but he also didn't follow procedures as it pertained to reporting the assault. It sucks, but when you make it easy for people to highlight a mistake you made, they will, especially if it deflects blame.
MSU has a culture problem that starts at the top, but Blackwell wasn't blameless either.
I had to sit down and laugh after reading this comment, or I would have literally been ROFL. Can't wait until I can upvote...
been reported exactly what he did, just that an MSU football staff member (Blackwell) broke protocol. They did not elaborate on what exactly that meant.
So, hypothetically, what if it was Blackwell's job to help cover these things up or "handle them," coming straight from Hollis and Dantonio? It's always the footsoldier who takes the bullet: never the General.
Anyway, it would explain a lot. It would specifically explain why Hollis and Dantonio should be fired. Then again, it's fun watching both squirm and even more fun knowing they have pissed off most of the real "power brokers" when it comes to recruiting elite football players.
Sparty deserves an eight year abyss. Hopefully, last year was year one and there is much more to come.
.
Chris Carter said you needed a fall guy.
You're a kind gentleman. Double that number and then I might be satisfied.
MSU is screwed. They don't have enough bagmen to keep Blackwell quiet if he has to testify in court. Best case scenario for MSU is that these kids plea to avoid trial and Blackwell gets hired at another P5 school. The longer Blackwell sits unemployed, and his reputation gets sullied, the better his chances that he'll give his side of the story.
No disinterested 3rd party has weighed in yet from what I know. Only MSU's AD and the law firm they hired, which can't be trusted at all yet.
Exactly, just a lot of assumptions that he must have failed to report the crime. But no one really knows, and we may never know...
I think we'll know. Wouldn't be surprised to see Dantonio, Blackwell, etc have to testify.
Dantonio testifying would be like Col. Jessup testifying in "A Few Good Men." Only Jessup had more charm and charisma...
the time, nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the BIG Championship trophies that I provide, and then questions the manner in which I provide them. I would rather you just said thank you, and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a clipboard and a whistle and get in that huddle. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you are entitled to!
Q. Did you order the Red Lock?
A. I did my job and I'll do it again.
Q. Did you order the Red Lock?!
A. You're God Damn Right I did!!!
Nicely done!!
Dantonio to the NCAA...
"I run my football team how I run my football team. You want to investigate me, roll the dice and take your chances. I eat breakfast 60 miles from 40,000 Wolverine fans who are trained to kill me, so don't think for one second you can come down here, flash your badge, and make me nervous."
Bravo! Even though it's given by a villain that's one of my favorite movie speeches of all time. "You want me on that wall, you need me on that wall."
are some of the best courtroom scenes of all time. The Jessup scene gets all the headlines and rightly so, but the Kaffee v. Kendrick scene was really, really good also.
The best part of the Jessup scene is how Kaffee is leading him there the whole time, little by little, and uses the airmen to create a sense of inevitability as to the outcome of Jessup's testimomy. Really well acted scene.
"And when it went bad, you cut these guy loose!"
Tom Cruise can be hit or miss, but he was spectacular there.
Agreed. Top notch.
I read the entire Jones Day report and it really did feel as though the authors went out of their way to sing Dantonio's praises and isolate culpability to the single "staff member." Maybe that's really just how the investigation played out. But it didn't ring true to me.
be very true and people are entitled to their feelings. If Blackwell did in any way try to stop this from coming out or influence a person to say or not say something, that is never ok. I do not have proof that this is what he did, but it seems that it has been hinted at numerous times over the course of this story coming out. Either way, he was found to have broken proper protocol by an independent law firm during the Title IX investigation. So, maybe he was a scape goat and maybe he also did something where losing his job was the appropriate consequence. If Blackwell isn't willing to go on the record, we won't know what he did until this case goes to trial (if it gets there), where I imagine his name and involvement will be brought up.
According to Tatum, other coaches are following suit. How many coaches and from where are the real questions? He didn't elaborate on the specifics. The optics at MSU are going to hurt them for a year or two.
in your take on this situation. Do you think Blackwell got scapegoated or do you think he actually deserved to lose his job? Do you have any information on exactly what he did that didn't follow "protocol"?
1) Reporting guidelines were not followed in the assault case
2) Instructed players to delete video and text messages
3) Part of the culture problem (favoring players, locker room issues, etc)
4) Recruiting tactics (shady)
5) Identifying talent
Of course something untoward was happening - how else could MSU bring in those recruiting hauls in recent years?
I don't know about you, but I've literally never seen a DI school with a recruiting class quite like MSU's this past year.
Mentioned it once before. Blackwell was the "king of impermissible contact." He contacted recruits during the quiet periods and begged for forgiveness later. Those are minor violations and usually reported without serious consequences from the NCAA. On a more serious note, he will be accused of impermissibile benefits in some future stories. I do not know any of those specifics, but I know they are coming.
That would be osu, he must have got confused.
He could be scapegoated while also deserving to lose his job. If it is true that he know about the assault and didn't take that up the chain, he probably should lose his job.
But having him lose his job, probably does provide Hollis & Dantonio some PR cover that "things are changing".
The fact that MSU had four players go down for sex crimes in a few months has gotta leave a mark on recruiting.
First, they are coming off a 3-9 season that cratered their 2017 recruiting class.
Then they have a ton of attrition in the off season that will leave them at least 10 scholarships short this year.
Then they have to deal with trying to fill an extra large class this year and/or next year while all of this crap is going on.
Things could really snowball if they finish below .500 again this year.
...especially the Detroit area. This could open the door for the B1G (esp. OSU), ND and the directional Michigan schools. If Blackwell still has a good rep with the local high schools, this could really tarnish MSU's rep and their ability to get any kids outside of legacy recruits. It's like Ellerbee pissing off the Michigan HS coaches with his recruiting tactics.
MSU lost all of Michigan recruiting the day Jim Harbaugh was hired. Blackwell being there or not would make no difference at all. Of course it seemed like they beat us for one four star instate recruit but even that did not work out for them. He was there best wr.
Speaking to an x-manager for MSU football team he told me some interseting things about an hour ago. Says Blackwell was becoming a major problem.. "He was a GA and wanted all of us managers to call him coach, when we didn't he went straight to Dylan the EQ guy"." Only reason he had job was he made promises to deliver Detroit kids, he had one job recruit Detroit". "But, also he had a connection in, idk where he was from Archie Collins, his god son/step son or brother, not sure which one but related to William Gholston who essentially got him the job"
For what it's worth this friend of mine is a huge MSU fan, and far from a story teller. I asked him if I could blog it and he said yes. Figured I would drop it on Toboggan, UM11, or Stephenking. Not sure if anyone else can make some sense of this info, I know very little about MSU football.
Sketchy is a word that has been thrown a lot in regards to Blackwell, not discounting Sam's guest, but I believe he is in the minority.
Blackwell also had twitter fingers often speaking poorly of Michigan over the past couple years.
I don't know why you're getting downvoted. But if he was on the field coaching, isn't that an NCAA violation? I don't know the way MSU's rules are written, but I suspect they are similar to training I went through, in which case you are supposed to report any possibility of sexual assault, even if you thing there's nothing to it. It's not your job to adjudicate or investigate--just to pass the information along to the proper authorities.
umbig11 might know something about MSU football through his connection grapevine, mantis toboggan may have a source also, but stephenjrking does nothing but pontificate without any basis whatsoever other than what is in the news for all to digest.