Bigku22

June 21st, 2017 at 11:21 PM ^

Common umbig. Sam gets his information by having great connects and relationships. You don't go throwing one of your boys (and previously a big influrence in the Detroit recruiting scene) under the bus in public. 

Nobody is going to talk to Sam if he's throwing them under the bus on his show when things go south. Plus, they are likely friends (both been involved in Detroit football forever) and he has some fashion of loyalty to Blackwell. 

I don't blame Sam for sticking up for Blackwell, it's smart business. And futhermore, Blackwell should not be taking the fall for Dantonio running a lawless program for years. MSU discipline issues and lack of accountability started long before Blackwell got there, and he's taking the hit for it. 

Joined: 05/23/2013

MGoPoints: 3019

BlueCube

June 22nd, 2017 at 6:39 AM ^

Defending him looks bad at this point and is backing him into a corner where he will almost have to condemn at some point. I haven't seen other sites comment on it officially, including here, unless I missed it. I haven't heard Sam say anything recently either, but I know he was initially defending Blackwell. I think Blackwell is trash for what he did, but I also think he followed normal procedure for MSU. The problem was that everyone else was covering their asses due to Nassar.

It's not about what existed at MSU. It's about a victim and an attempt to destroy evidence and hurt any attempt by the victim to get justice.

Joined: 12/12/2013

MGoPoints: 45965

bacon1431

June 22nd, 2017 at 7:40 AM ^

He didn't have to defend Blackwell at all. He obstructed an investigation. He helped perpetrators potentially escape justice. Is any form of loyalty worth that? Blackwell can still be a fall guy and at the same time be guilty of doing a wretched thing. As far as I know, Sam only gave voice to the former point and not the latter. Either way, attitudes like the one you expressed are why rape culture persists. If loyalty, money, profession etc, prevent you from doing or saying the right thing, that's despicable.

Joined: 07/26/2008

MGoPoints: 25294

Chalky White

June 22nd, 2017 at 9:54 AM ^

I don't listen to Sam Webb's entire show most days and I don't read his website. What did he say to defend Blackwell? I heard Webb say he has heard a lot of rumors and he doesn't believe Blackwell is capable of doing some of the stuff that people were spreading in the rumors. I never heard it go beyond that. He never said what the rumors were. I don't know what they are. I never heard Webb say that Blackwell was completely innocent in the matter.

Joined: 03/16/2014

MGoPoints: 19161

jbrandimore

June 21st, 2017 at 9:40 PM ^

He simply thought MSUs admin was going to make these charges disappear. Because of this, he simply wanted the list so he could continue to work while "suspended."

Joined: 01/06/2015

MGoPoints: 13708

Gatekeeper

June 21st, 2017 at 10:01 PM ^

he thought this was all going to go away and thought he better keep working

 

probably shocked that something actually came to a head and got him "terminated" and the players kicked off the team

 

after all, he had made sure they disposed of the evidence...

Joined: 01/23/2010

MGoPoints: 796

BlueinLansing

June 21st, 2017 at 10:34 PM ^

why is MSU so quick to release this FOIA request vs fighting the others.  Is it to make sure a picture of a certain individual gets painted in a certain way?

 

There are no clean hands in this mess at MSU, those at the top are simply protecting their asses and they all know it.

Joined: 09/01/2009

MGoPoints: 23520

lilpenny1316

June 21st, 2017 at 10:37 PM ^

The NCAA basically killed his SMSB camp and it was pretty obvious that MSU wasn't bringing him back.  I think he wanted that list to make himself marketable at a smaller school that is desperate for winning football, like EMU.

Joined: 11/19/2009

MGoPoints: 61859

big john lives on 67

June 21st, 2017 at 11:46 PM ^

Heard Sam's segment on Blackwell. He did not seem to me to be completely exonerating Blackwell. He was presenting an opposing opinion about the man and his actions. This was an opinion shared by many in the Detroit HS football scene. I do not believe that he asserted that this opinion was the complete truth, but just another side of the story. To me, this whole story has a long way to go before it is completely settled on what exactly happened.

Joined: 02/15/2009

MGoPoints: 3973

UMgradMSUdad

June 22nd, 2017 at 1:09 AM ^

MSU was right to fire Blackwell, but it sure seems like there is a concerted effort to portray Blackwell as some rogue element and leave the impression that he was responsible for the shit storm that roiled the football program.

Joined: 07/02/2011

MGoPoints: 13186

maize-blue

June 22nd, 2017 at 8:51 AM ^

Bad hire by Dantonio. But I guess Dantonio is in the clear and is a "good guy" because he "handled the situation right" and "did what he was supposed to do". He needs to go as well.

Joined: 01/10/2013

MGoPoints: 44662