OT: Tom Izzo PSA

Submitted by Qmatic on

The strangest thing I have heard all week has to go to this. Being a school social worker in a high-poverty and high-needs school district I unfortunately have to report suspicion of abuse and neglect quite frequently to CPS (about half a dozen a week). It has gotten to the point where I have pretty much memorized the state of michigan annoucements that play while you are on hold. There is usually a couple from the DMV on renewing your license or becoming an organ donor, and a couple of Tim Allen Pure Michigan ads are sprinkled in their too.

However, today I was surprised there was a new annoucement being played. This one went "Hello, this is Tom Izzo basketball coach at MSU. With the threat of violence is something that affects everyone and needs to be taken seriously. Ok 2 Say is a place where you can report anything that you feel threatens your safety or the safety of others. You can be the one who can stop a tragedy by just speaking up."

And here I thought playing Pure Michigan ads while you waited to report abuse or neglect was a bit odd. I was speechless after this one.

ST3

March 15th, 2018 at 4:02 PM ^

when you can no longer think logically and posit a cogent response, and instead resort to ad hominem attacks, you have ceded the high ground and debased yourself in the process. Congrats.

I recommend you read through the thread again and instead of implying my condescension, just read what I wrote. I am arguing that we should not impute a moral equivalence between an obsession with a neighbor who enables rape and an obsession born out of inferiority and jealousy. How about you counter that instead of telling me to, "fuck off, douchebag."

And check my first comment that started this. It was meant to be humorous, not condescending. Take the stick out of your ass and see humor in the world. Oops, I ceded a little of that moral high ground. D'oh.

Steeveebr

March 15th, 2018 at 8:21 PM ^

"But I have no problem with him advocating for students using a resource to prevent gun violence."

 

You get why this is funny right?  Like it would be if Bill Cosby gave an announcement about reporting rape and sexual violence?  Or hearing a public service announcement from O.J. encouraging people to report domestic abuse?

Bodogblog

March 15th, 2018 at 11:36 AM ^

The MSU machine doing all it can to prop him up. 

Maybe this was in the works for a while.  But you can imagine this being something their triage team looked at as helpful for his image.  If that's the case - and if their overall response to everything is any indication I'd suggest this is probable -, the fact that they are spending any time at all on this is troublesome.  All energy needs to be on understanding what he might have overlooked.  Like his assistant punching a girl in the face and then sleeping in his basement, and then claiming he didn't know why said assistant left the program. 

M_Born M_Believer

March 15th, 2018 at 12:57 PM ^

Yeah you can say the we are obsessed with Tommy right now (and for good reason cause there is a glimmer of hope that the rest of American MIGHT get to know the ‘real’ Izzo) But the timing (and optic) of this gesture PSA coming out just weeks after he has started to have been scrutinized for his program and his image is ........ interesting to say the least. Just like MSU pushed Payne’s personnel interest story after his ‘unfortunate’ incident in the dorm room. It’s a pattern developing. SPIN SPIN SPIN Don’t dig into the issues. Look how great and wonderful these guys are. Way to go Tommy! Such a thoughtful and caring person...... /s

NateVolk

March 15th, 2018 at 11:48 AM ^

When our main argument against talking about any topic of interest with ramifications beyond sports, is that this is a holiday because of some sporting event, we should be checking under the hood. And maybe look at balancing out our hobbies and interests. 

99 Apples

March 15th, 2018 at 11:58 AM ^

The video of the baseball player littering in east Lansing released yesterday was fucked up. Sick to my stomach after seeing that. No jail time BS

CarrIsMyHomeboy

March 15th, 2018 at 12:16 PM ^

MSU has a real talent for doubling-down/side-stepping accusations related to sexual assault (players) [or cultivation of such a culture (Izzo)] by distracting the public with behavior that, in a vacuum, would appear noble.

To that effect, I wonder how many kind-eyed, blond children with a devastating juvenile disease they would have found for Adreian Payne to high-five on camera if he had been accused of raping more than one MSU student.

MichiganTeacher

March 15th, 2018 at 12:19 PM ^

I wonder how CPS is in Michigan. On the (far fewer than you have) occasions I have had to work with CPS in New York, they are appallingly bad. Unresponsive, careless, and uninterested. 

Qmatic

March 15th, 2018 at 1:01 PM ^

It depends on the county and the caseworker you get. You have underpaid and over-worked case workers who have to balance caseloads around 100. It is a struggle to get a hold of caseworkers after their inital determination. It's a shame how poor the child welfare system is in this state, and particularly in the southeast part of the state.

JFW

March 15th, 2018 at 4:22 PM ^

for the work you do. 

I adopted 2 kids, and my wife teaches. I grew up in a stable suburb with two good parents. I was astounded at some of the suffering that goes on when I would hear about kids at school, or when I talked to the people at Family court. 

FGB

March 16th, 2018 at 1:21 AM ^

I mean, isn't the irony just as strong because it happened before he was publicly outed?  Stronger maybe? 

I don't really see the fact that it was generated in the past (and well after allowing two rapists to continue playing for a Final Four team) as undercutting the hyprocrisy at all.