Mel Tucker releases Statement in Response to Tracy Allegations
Makes a brief mention of Harbaugh, which Harbaugh said he doesn't know anything about. Lots to unpack here. Is it a Title IX investigation or not? If it isn't, why wouldn't the AD have known about it sooner?
September 11th, 2023 at 6:57 PM ^
Is there a tweet or story somewhere where Tracy criticized Harbaugh?
September 11th, 2023 at 7:07 PM ^
This is what he is referring to. A mild rebuke of Michigan couched in pretty cautious terms. To me it looks like Tracy makes an effort to not be carelessly accusatory.
September 11th, 2023 at 7:17 PM ^
For what it's worth Brenda Tracy says she appreciates Harbaugh's comments on the topic today.
Harbaugh said he doesn't want to comment on Mel Tucker, but knows that Brenda Tracy has done good valuable work.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:02 PM ^
For what it’s worth, Tracy gets paid quite a bit to “speak,” so you could imagine she would be a bit salty if she’s not scheduled year after year by certain schools.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:46 PM ^
It seems Harbaugh was the first college coach to hire her for a couple of years. She didn’t get retained by UofM after 2020.
Separately this heart wrenching story came up from a mom about a young lady who was troubled and eventually died after being raped by football players. Harbaugh as described in that story sounded caring and was ready to take action if they could tell him the names of the players. There didn’t seem to be any criticism of Harbaugh in the story. Rather he reached out proactively
Tracy wasn’t involved in the Mom and girl’s story, but claims the mom reached out to her to ask about her connection to Harbaugh.
She then tweeted she felt there was a connection between the timing of that girl’s story and her not being retained by UofM. That is quite a presumption on her part and odd that she would suggest a wild presumption publicly.
It appears Mel, who hired her for two years and then hadn’t yet retained her for the next year, is suggesting there is a pattern.
September 11th, 2023 at 9:10 PM ^
Why the scare quotes? Are you suggesting that she doesn't speak to the teams?
September 12th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
To insinuate that a woman would go to these lengths -- make a sexual harassment claim against someone which will undoubtedly sink his career and humiliate him for all the world to see because of a cancelled speaking engagement -- is laughable, and borderline misogynistic. The real tell, though, is your use of quotation marks around the word 'speak.' There are some real gems in our midst.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:05 PM ^
The worst thing to come of this would be if the work she and her organization have done are now jeopardized - if other coaches decide they don't want to bring "the woman who ruined Tucker's career" to speak to their team.
September 13th, 2023 at 1:45 AM ^
The article I read wanted to connect it to the alleged rape story (that is me being legally factual not offering any opinion on the rape) and Harbaugh's response to it--and the story noted multiple times that despite arranging yearly visits, she never returned after 2019. I have no idea what I was supposed to make of this other than Mel brings up Harbaugh, Harbaugh gives a statement, Taylor praised Harbaugh's statement, and thus a story was born.
https://larrybrownsports.com/college-football/mel-tucker-jim-harbaugh-s…
September 11th, 2023 at 9:45 PM ^
Mel needs to keep Harbaugh’s name out of his whore mouth.
September 11th, 2023 at 6:31 PM ^
The plot thickens, consent is the central issue here and if he has receipts showing the consensual nature of the relationship it's going to cost MSU a lot more money to make him go away.
September 11th, 2023 at 6:42 PM ^
Apparently there were text messages that both parties admitted to deleting.
September 11th, 2023 at 10:02 PM ^
I can understand why he would delete the texts but why would she delete them if they were evidence of harassment?
September 12th, 2023 at 4:52 AM ^
I think they’re implying that the texts were rather evidence of a consensual relationship
Which doesn’t preclude harassment
September 11th, 2023 at 6:47 PM ^
Where does it say he has receipts?
September 11th, 2023 at 8:31 PM ^
Ask Coach PRIME, he kept all of his receipts.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:52 PM ^
USA Today article goes into more details about their relationship. From reading it, it sounds like the phone sex was not consensual, but she had said things that he claims caused him to “stumble into the act”. That is at least how Tucker would describe his actions.
From reading the USA Today article, there was about a year or so of phone records proving they had spoken very often, pretty much always at night, and seemingly about much more than work, but personal things including how they were very much both into each other. All the smoke seems to point to there being some kind of very situationally inappropriate relationship going on (married man, should be strictly professional from both sides). Sounds like an emotional affair in the midst of a marriage Tucker was “unsatisfied with”.
All that being said, the phone sex still sounded like it wildly took Tracy off guard and put her in a traumatic, speechless state.
September 11th, 2023 at 6:51 PM ^
That's one of the bullshit indicators for me...if he had receipts, the investigation should have backed off or gone a different direction...or at least the story would be much different.
The "race or gender" crack is another one.
September 11th, 2023 at 7:05 PM ^
It was mentioned that his phone automatically deletes messages after a period of time and Tracy deliberately deleted her messages prior to coming forward. Correct me if I am wrong, but that was what was reported.
September 11th, 2023 at 7:25 PM ^
The "race or gender" crack is another one.
Yes totally. Black men are definitely always treated fairly and always get the benefit of the doubt in our society when it comes to being accused of sexual assault.
September 11th, 2023 at 7:43 PM ^
He admitted to it. What he admitted to doing is sexual assault.
September 11th, 2023 at 10:16 PM ^
Say what? What part of him admitting to consensual phone sex is sexual assault? Sexual assault by definition is not consensual. You could make a case that what he is admitting to can qualify as sexual harassment, given the power dynamics, but even that might be a stretch if it was indeed consensual. It still might be inappropriate, but not necessarily a crime.
As others have said, it sounds like there is more to this what was initially said, if there is evidence that the person making the accusations was participating willingly.
September 11th, 2023 at 10:44 PM ^
"As others have said, it sounds like there is more to this what was initially said, if there is evidence that the person making the accusations was participating willingly."
What's the new information since Sunday? There were no revelations in his press release about their relationship or the incident that wasn't in the initial USA Today story.
September 12th, 2023 at 11:39 AM ^
It's crazy to me that people read prepared statements by the accused and think, "Well, that's that. He's telling the truth." Especially when large parts of their story make no sense, or they pull in other excuses like race or gender when there is literally no evidence of that. Statements like these are written by attorneys with agendas in mind. This isn't fact; it's designed to get you to doubt the accuser, to set up a framework for a defense in the interest of a negotiation, and to generate sympathy for Mel in the court of public opinion.
September 12th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
Sexual harassment.
September 11th, 2023 at 9:13 PM ^
Right, race makes sense, but the idea that he's being treated unfairly as a male football coach is . . . some pretty creative lawyering.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:10 PM ^
This is a lawyer's letter through and through, there is exactly one note in there (the comment about how they would look with their clothes off) that connects to Tucker's version of the call, and conveniently there's no evidence of it happening. Everything else preceding the call is either irrelevant or would be consistent with a professional relationship where two individuals get along well.
This is exactly the type of legal tactics that make it so hard for victims of sexual assault/harassment to come forward. All it takes is one reasonably well crafted lawyer's statement full of vague statements, an accusatory tone, and the twisting of innocent conduct to make the gullible and those inclined to think every woman was asking for it to have doubts and think there are "two sides."
September 12th, 2023 at 9:11 AM ^
And a good example of this, for me, is the way I hear people saying--heard myself thinking--well, if they were talking a lot and had developed a relationship then that's going to cast doubt on her story/be an extenuating circumstance once negotiations begin.
But we tend to forget that women--everyone--is allowed to be interested in or attracted to someone. It's not so hard to see that especially for someone with a history like hers thinking you're finding a relationship and then discovering that the guy is obsessive and getting scary on you. . .
It's also pretty natural to dump voice messages that remind you of something that got ugly. You might wish you had them later.
September 12th, 2023 at 12:04 PM ^
This exactly. I had a phone relationship with a vendor when I was in my early 20's, and I loved talking to him, and it got flirtatious but that in no way means he can jack off during one of our phone conversations. Great phone rapport is not a natural lead in to masturbation if it's not explicitly invited.
September 11th, 2023 at 9:57 PM ^
He didn’t exercise good judgement, but beyond that, none of us really know what happened between them. He deserves the opportunity to make his case and no one should automatically believe anyone they don’t know well. I read somewhere in this thread that she admitted to deleting texts. Interesting, if true.
September 13th, 2023 at 1:49 AM ^
I don't know if I agree. Yes consensual makes him look like less of a slimeball, but he still engaged in a relationship with someone whose business partnership with the program he controlled and whose speaking engagement was mysteriously postpones until after the season. I'm sorry but if you are trying to reach serious athletes on a topic, you talk before the season and the school year starts, when the knowledge is more likely to be helpful. She was not his employee, but there was still a serious power imbalance. Not saying MSU won't end up paying something in the end no matter the facts just to make the story go away, but I think the firing is just as justified even if consensual.
September 11th, 2023 at 6:32 PM ^
It's scurrilous and weird and fireable, to be sure, but if he has evidence that she wished him happy Father's Day and asked to come back to campus months later, that raises some questions.
September 11th, 2023 at 6:45 PM ^
She specifically said that she tried to keep the relationship professional because she wanted to keep working with the MSU football team on sexual assault awareness issues. There is nothing at all weird about her wanting to return to campus to do the work she does.
September 11th, 2023 at 6:54 PM ^
Also- sending a father's day card doesn't have anything to do with whether whatever happened over that phone call was consensual or not.
September 11th, 2023 at 7:01 PM ^
If every man I wished a Happy Father's Day to thought I wanted to sleep with them, there'd be a ton of men with some crazy expectations.
September 11th, 2023 at 9:16 PM ^
Happy Mother's Day!!
September 12th, 2023 at 6:52 AM ^
So, genuine but slightly OT question .. is it normal to send fathers day cards to dudes who aren't family? I have never done that unless it's a good friend on his first-ever father's day.
September 12th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
Not cards, because we live close, but all my friends' wives will text me to wish me happy Father's Day and happy birthday. None of them want to sleep with me.
September 13th, 2023 at 1:52 AM ^
As casual acquaintances? No. But as someone whose business she wanted? Entirely plausible, especially if he had ever mentioned his kids for any reason (and given how often I mention my kids, once again that would mean nothing about their relationship).
September 11th, 2023 at 7:27 PM ^
I think we are talking about things that do and do not ring true. I have no dog in this fight and im not backing anyone but a Fathers day card (lets think about this for a second) and deleted texts from her seem to put some doubt in this entire thing.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:14 PM ^
She's essentially a consultant and must forge individual relationships to keep working. Wishing others a good holiday is absolutely a reasonable professional step.
The flip side to the father's day card (if it even exists), who wishes someone a happy father's day in order to try and start an intimate relationship?
September 11th, 2023 at 9:02 PM ^
USA Today article explains how they have phone records of about a years worth of nighttime conversations. The article which seems pretty neutral to each side talks about how they were definitely “more than friends” and the relationship had slipped to beyond professional, and were in some sort of emotional affair. However, the phone sex act itself caught Tracy waaaaay off guard and traumatized her.
This is just the words from USA Today, don’t shoot the messenger.
September 12th, 2023 at 9:50 AM ^
You wish them Happy Father's Day after the relationship has started.
I've no dog in this but they spent a lot of time together on the phone, a lot. More than a professional relationship would require. To me her story doesn't ring all together true either.
None of this matters as far as Tuck coaching msu again. They needed a reason to broom him and he handed them a silver one.
September 11th, 2023 at 7:20 PM ^
This specific case aside, a victim interacting with an abuser in a considerate or positive manner is not an indication of anything other than power dynamics or the very nature of abusive relationships.
September 11th, 2023 at 9:53 PM ^
All right I should know better than to ask, this being the internet and all…
but you’re being fatuous, right Jeffrey?
September 11th, 2023 at 6:32 PM ^
Idk who to believe anymore. Tucker defended himself quite well with that statement
September 11th, 2023 at 6:36 PM ^
Mrs Tucker, this you?
This statement contains some serious whatthefuckness.
September 11th, 2023 at 7:21 PM ^
It's not Mrs. Tucker. She hates him.
September 11th, 2023 at 8:34 PM ^
He meant the senior Mrs. Tucker - Mom.
September 11th, 2023 at 9:04 PM ^
If Mrs. Tucker is truly as emotionally distant from her husband as it claims here and in the USA Today write up, she will make out quite well with a divorce settlement, because Im sure that MSU will be forced into some sort of buyout.
Feel real bad for his kids