Speight receiving death threats?

Submitted by NashvilleBLUE on

In the below article, Mo Hursts talks about how much of a struggle it must be for Wilton "receiving death threats and people telling QBs to 'kill yourself'. You're supposed to be our fans and shouldn't be saying that type of stuff"

As a football fan, I'm obsessed with Michigan to a point where I periodically have to check my priorities because I put a lot of stock in a game; however, Mo's statements really puts the "dark side of sports" into perspective. Here is illustration of where obsession can lead to "Misery" levels.

I am as dissapointed with the up and down QB play as anybody, but when it crosses the entertainment realm and enters the realm of personal attacks (nevermind the student-athlete part), then it gets psychotic.

Hopefully this is just a few twitter trolls (e.g. the Isiah Thomas jersey burning) and not a legitimate thought by some of these fans, because that would be dispicable.

 

http://michigan.247sports.com/Bolt/Having-heard-the-backlash-teammates-…

 

EDIT: As someone pointed out below, The 247 article I linked left out a pretty critical follow-up on Mo's statement with the section below, which can be found in the article here 

https://www.landof10.com/michigan/michigan-coach-jim-harbaugh-wiltons-s…

---Wait. Did Speight get death threats?

“I assume so,” Hurst answered. “I remember that punt thing [against Michigan State in 2015], yeah.”

It’s college football. Not life versus death.---

 

Oregon Wolverine

September 11th, 2017 at 8:55 PM ^

Doesn't matter from whom they come, 12-yr old or Ted Kaczynski. They are damaging to our society and bullying of Speight, who is giving his all in a sport where he is risking long term damage to his body/brain. He has STRONG incentive to be doing his best. And it's a hellava lot better than you or I, except for a select group of people in our school's history. If Harbaugh/Hamilton/Drevno roll him out, I know he's our best option and deserves our respect.



Threats like this are also a sign of potentially irrational thought and behavior. If you know someone who is engaging in this type of behavior, they can use some help. Maybe nothing, maybe a sign of anger that a little therapy, exercise, yoga or less ETOH might help (I'm not advocating temperance unless it's a problem, I like my bourbon too). I've been in a criminal law practice for 25+ years, mostly ugly stuff. Deal w/psychologists all the time. Clients w/all kinds of issues, anger, bi-polar, borderlines. Non-normative behavior.



Cyber bulling should not be tolerated.



LDNfan

September 12th, 2017 at 7:32 AM ^

Well stated.

I'm a HUGE Speight fan...ducks :) ...

and fan of every young man on this team.

They give a hell of a lot for our entertainment and pride. He is (obviously) not flawless and has much room for improvement but hey who doesn't AND that is a huge part of the whole college experience across the campus. Besides, there isn't a better coaching and mentoring staff for Speight and this young team in the country IMO. 

I think the blur between college student-athlete and professional athlete is often most blurred at the fandom level and in many ways the expectations for these young men exceeds those of their professional counterparts. CFB fandom is much stronger than Pro fandom and that can bring about a heightened level of expectations and zaniness. 

So..go Speight, go Ulizio, go TEAM go. 

Maize and Blue…

September 11th, 2017 at 10:03 PM ^

But I assume so is pretty vague. Blake's came after a play that cost the team a game against our in state rivals. Threats carried out by some barely teenage idiots.
That doesn't compare to some overthrown passes and possibly the worst fumble I have seen in my lifetime.
Reality is the QB gets criticized at every level of the game. If you can't handle it don't play the position. I seriously doubt that Wilton has gotten death threats this year, but I am sure he has heard plenty of criticism over the way he has played.

Blue in Paradise

September 12th, 2017 at 2:04 PM ^

where they kick the ball away if they don't get their way.  Then they make their way to death threats at 12, they then become obnoxious frat guys in college (/s) and then in their 30s they boo at the games and generally make asses of themselves.

On a somewhat serious note, I saw a guy at the 1997 OSU game (with a presumably fake Navy Seals veteran jacket) threaten to beat up an 80 year old guy behind him (he had a cane and everything) because the old guy asked him to sit during a play where nobody else was standing.

I would believe the fake Navy Seals guy would have sent death threats as a 12 year old had Twitter existed in those days.

Khaleke The Freak

September 11th, 2017 at 6:26 PM ^

then that's not a Michigan fan as far as I'm concerned. Peters is a RS Freshman...a RS FRESHMAN. Speight is working with a new Center, a 60% new OL, and a bunch of new starting receivers. It's time to stop this ridiculousness and let the QB and TEAM play more football.

In reply to by Khaleke The Freak

RGard

September 11th, 2017 at 7:17 PM ^

Michigan fans making any death threats.

If any threats are really being made look for IP addresses in State College, PA, Columbus, OH or East Landfill, MI,

Chalky White

September 12th, 2017 at 9:06 AM ^

I read on one of their boards the fans were complaining that buck I guy was on the freeway holding up traffic in order for everyone to get a good look at him driving in his costume. That fan base is responsible for embracing these attention whores. Now they have to deal with the aftermath. Anyone who pays either of these clowns for an autograph should be slapped.

UMxWolverines

September 12th, 2017 at 10:30 AM ^

Does he still dress like that? I haven't seen him in a long time. And the difference is he doesn't go out of his way to get on camera like buck I guy. Plus we have the Michigan Storm Trooper guy too. I think the big nut dude is ok from what I've read from their fans, but the buck I guy cowboy douche thinks he's OSU's second mascot.

2manylincs

September 11th, 2017 at 9:46 PM ^

But we all know that turd bag michigan fan who we dont like to be associated with.
They do exist in aa just as they do in state college, columbus or east landfill, as unfortunate as that is..
If you love a player, or bash them, just take this as a reminder like the oneill stuff. Keep it civil and if you know that guy who goes a bit overboard, stand up and tell him hes being an idiot, please.
Hes making us all look bad.

triangle_M

September 12th, 2017 at 7:56 AM ^

247 facebook posts seem to be a bug light for these people - too bad it doesn't zap some humanity into them.  Same fools who'll verbally abuse a server for a kitchen mistake.  I read some of these same types calling Newsome a snowflake for tweeting out about the booing.  Grant fucking Newsome, who plays for one of the toughest coaches in the sport, and who by the way, almost lost his god-damned leg for their entertainment.  Sorry this shit bothers me.

 

In reply to by Khaleke The Freak

bronxblue

September 12th, 2017 at 1:15 PM ^

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that someone who sends death threats to college kids for winning two football games by double-digits (but not enough double digits) is probably not going to pay much attention to the depth chart.

These are sad little people, unlikely to be dangerous but still worth addressing.  

zh2oson

September 11th, 2017 at 6:39 PM ^

Same.

I had a pretty bad miscue during a college intramural basketball game and it was hell for me for weeks.

Thoughts/Prayers to him and his family.