Per Warde Manuel... Big Ten Reprimand Due to Fan Touching Mel Tucker
Per Warde...
“We accept the Big Ten Conference’s findings in full. The conference office’s reprimand of U-M was in response to a fan making physical contact with the MSU coach – which is wholly unacceptable. The offender was quickly identified and swiftly ejected from the Stadium by our Event Team. In addition, to reduce the possibility of future incidents, we proactively implemented changes ahead of our final home game by increasing security personnel in areas around the playing surface. Security and procedural reviews will remain a constant focal point of future event planning and reviews."
https://www.on3.com/teams/michigan-wolverines/news/warde-manuel-on-big-ten-discipline-from-michign-msu-tunnel-fallout/
November 29th, 2022 at 12:49 PM ^
Or...OSU players are capable of behaving like mature adults. Just saying.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:07 PM ^
Oh gosh, I'd hate to go that far. Can we just say that OSU players are more capable of behaving like adults than MSU players?
November 29th, 2022 at 5:32 PM ^
Watch the end of the UM OSU game. Plenty of OSU and UM players fist bumping, saying 'hi', etc. No punches thrown. It was just like a normal game.
November 29th, 2022 at 11:55 AM ^
Pretty standard Big Ten bungling. They can't even do the right thing correctly.
November 29th, 2022 at 11:58 AM ^
It's almost written as if the commissioner has a kid that plays for state. Imagine if that happened.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
That was always the question: Was the B1G going to construe the thing as if Michigan bore some responsibility, too? And they managed to. And in so doing gave fodder to idiots.
But Warde's response, quietly, separates the issues. With calm maturity, putting the thing to rest.
What you don't want to do, ever, is accept a logic that says the miscreant was not wholly at fault because security was lax or made it possible for them to commit the crime.
There is always going to remain that reactionary portion of the public whose world view is so primitive that they'll say, "You messed with the bully; you got what you deserved." There ARE people who inhabit such a frightened universe. Lots of them. Who know the world's unfair and say you're an idiot if you don't accept it or stay out of the way of the ugly. They start by making excuses for the bullies, and end up admiring them.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:27 PM ^
I was quite happy to see Warde's quick response delineating why the B1G 'reprimanded' UM. Glad he made that distinction...
November 29th, 2022 at 11:50 AM ^
RCMB reaction:
November 29th, 2022 at 12:03 PM ^
Years ago, it was a running joke on here that we couldn't do certain things until we beat MSU and OSU. This is the first year that we've beaten them in the same season and look at what's happened them.
Immediately after losing to us, MSU lost 10% of their team for the last month of the season because they were time warped to Rather Hall.
In a matter of four hours on Saturday, OSU time warped themselves to the John Cooper years.
I don't know how this unlocked USC so we're destined to play them in a bowl game again, but it's starting to feel like the late 80s/early 90s again.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
the modicum of success they had 5-10 years ago has made that fanbase wholly delusional
they weren't like this when I was a kid.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:28 PM ^
I'll tell you who's not delusional: Luke Fickell. Dude literally said, "Sparty? No!" and left for B1G job that wasn't in Columbus.
One of their beat writers said they were missing a bowl game for only the third time in 16 years. They didn't say that those three times came in the last seven years.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:55 PM ^
One of their beat writers said they were missing a bowl game for only the third time in 16 years. They didn't say that those three times came in the last seven years.
...and 2 of Mel Tucker's 3 seasons as head coach.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:03 PM ^
Tuck not bowlin....
November 29th, 2022 at 1:32 PM ^
I'm not sure how old you are, but is it possible that you simply weren't aware of how fucked up they are, because they didn't have the magic of the Internet with which to spew forth their moronic, narrow-minded views on things?
November 29th, 2022 at 2:54 PM ^
that may be it. im in my mid-40s and grew up in michigan.
i always said it was odd that you never really saw sparty flags or bumper stickers until 2012 or so, then suddenly they were everywhere.
November 29th, 2022 at 11:56 AM ^
Lol it didn't even have a thing to do with the tunnel incident.
November 29th, 2022 at 11:57 AM ^
Too lazy to find it but insert arrested development no touching gif.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:08 PM ^
This feels like disingenuous spin to me. Izzo sounded like an idiot as well. I’m looking forward to when we can stop talking about this.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
It sounds like Warde doing his job and clearing up the muddying of the water caused by the Big Ten statement.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:22 PM ^
Precisely.
But have no fear, the BIG will do whatever it can to muddy it back up.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:48 PM ^
It's only disingenuous if it's untrue. Tom VH's story said the Big Ten hasn't responded to his request to clarify if Warde's statement is true. Shocker.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:10 PM ^
Player and fan safety is important.
I'm not condoning the actions of a fan - but, not having seen the video of the contact between the fan and Tucker, I'm wondering if the fan gave Tucker a "high five", or a "fist bump" - and offered words of congratulation.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:18 PM ^
The fan reached over the railing and rubbed his bald head. It shouldn't have happened, but it was hardly intended to inflict harm. Worse things happen on a regular basis to bald ppl.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
Perhaps if we lend Tuck a hat (one with a block M) to protect his head, we will provide the protection that the B1G thinks was lacking.
November 29th, 2022 at 3:08 PM ^
Personally, I would rather have someone shove me than rub my head.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:11 PM ^
Taking off my maize and blue glasses to say that Izzo has a valid point here.
Obviously it was unacceptable for one of our fans to touch Mel Tucker and that asshat was rightfully ejected.
But think about it from Tom Izzo's perspective. He has coached several dozen games at Crisler. To date none of our fans (thankfully) have ever reached down to touch his head as he goes through the entrance tunnel. But that could all change the moment Reed Richards attends a game at Crisler.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:14 PM ^
Completely hypothetical. No fan could ever reach down that far.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:12 PM ^
I hope they at least made him wash his hand before they removed him from the stadium....
November 29th, 2022 at 12:19 PM ^
Lmfao, one fan doing something douchey but so small and immediately being banned is not worth a reprimand. Meanwhile state has already reinstated criminals.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:21 PM ^
If I had to guess, the BIG will release a statement by the end of the day in which it refutes the claim that the reprimand only involved the fan touching the coach. This is a careful statement by Manuel intended to remove any alleged negligence by Michigan from any injuries that resulted to players. Lots of legal maneuvers being deployed here by several parties.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:22 PM ^
The mouth breathers over at RCMB aren't going to like this one bit.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:24 PM ^
Name him.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:44 PM ^
How do you reprimand a university for what a fan does? This reeks in my opinion.
November 29th, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
our event staff clearly didn't allow enough safe space between the fans and Mel's sweaty dome....
November 29th, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
Opposing players and coaches have a reasonable expectation of being kept safe by the hosting university. Michigan has an obligation to do so as all schools do. This is not a challenging concept. That fan was way out of line with Tucker and should be forever banned from UMich venues. I can assure that is what would happen at a professional venue.
November 29th, 2022 at 2:18 PM ^
There was a reasonable expectation. How often does some idiot reach down to unsuspectingly grab a man's head?
November 29th, 2022 at 2:25 PM ^
So when the fans rush the field and tear down the goalposts the universityis historically disciplined? I could be wrong but it doesn’t pass the smell tests. Looks like tucks buddy in the B1G office and coach of his son is doing double blame to save tucks job and rep.
November 29th, 2022 at 2:40 PM ^
Actually, yes, I think schools are typically fined for this.
November 29th, 2022 at 4:42 PM ^
What is a reprimand? It's a slap on the wrist to say you didn't do something that we expect you to do, which is protect the coach as he walks into the locker room. Shit happens, and this happened, and the Big Ten is saying to Michigan, Don't let this happen again. I don't have a problem with that.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:04 PM ^
That explanation makes sense. Warde's statement, as is always the case, is spot on. He is doing a great job and I actually think the Big Ten has handled this relatively well (though they took forever to say anything).
November 29th, 2022 at 1:18 PM ^
Seriously? Ridiculous.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:18 PM ^
Ahhh ok, well that at least makes sense.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:30 PM ^
For the record, I only downvoted this masterpiece just so I could upvote it again.
The casting choices, too! Just *chef's kiss* all around. Who plays Harbaugh though?
November 29th, 2022 at 1:34 PM ^
Christian Bale as Jim Harbaugh
November 29th, 2022 at 2:08 PM ^
Danny DeVito. Goddammit.
November 29th, 2022 at 2:36 PM ^
That's some good work. I expect this scene at the Oscars when it wins best picture.
November 29th, 2022 at 1:26 PM ^
Honestly, feels pretty good because 1) I would agree with the reprimand in that case. It's appropriate given the moron who touched Mel's head. 2) By reprimanding Michigan for the head touch, it's implicitly stating that Michigan wasn't found at fault for anything in the tunnel melee and everyone can stfu about how Michigan shares some blame