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OT: MSU/Nassar

Nasser back in the news, as his sentencing hearing started this week...

some updates (link):
the Detroit News found that at least 14 MSU staffers and representatives were made aware of Nassar?s abuse over more than two decades and beginning as early as 1992, and nothing was ever done about him. Among those officials notified of a Title IX complaint and police report against Nassar was MSU President Lou Anna Simon.​

but let's not start playing the blame game here, guys, because:
A school spokesperson said they didn?t want to take away the focus from the victims.​

so while PennSt was being rocked by the Sandusky scandal, MSU administrators were apparently sitting their thinking "Good thing our own sex abuse scandal won't ever come out!"
 
Lou Anna Simon and Mark Hollis both need to be fired.

They should be tarred and feathered when they leave campus after being fired. They deserve much worse than that.
 
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Interesting discussion on MGoBrian yesterday about the situation and whether or not there was a double-standard at play when comparing Penn State/Sandusky with MSU/Nassar. I think there is ...I think the appalling nature of the PSU scandal was that it could happen within a manly "football program" and that JoePa (among others) allowed it to happen. In the case of MSU, you have heterosexual molestation and sexual abuse and because of that distinction, the response is less outrage and more accepting.

And combine these stories with the Tennis coach Bob Hewitt ...child hockey players ...Sugar Ray Leonard! ...the Catholic Church scandal.


It's not about the nature of the abuse, it's about the abuse of power and manipulation of the powerless. I've shared before the horror we went through at my son's preschool and the pedophile that was protected and enabled for over 10yrs. "Luckily" this abhorrent "person" didn't have any involvement with our son (or boys) but something about him creeped me out from day one.

And the private preschool is still in denial that "it can't happen here" because, you know, money and wealth means those things don't happen.



The Nassar ordeal makes me sick to my stomach. Hearing the testimony/statements is gut wrenching.
 
My hot take: there should be an independent investigation with two reports generated. One should stay out of the press and be exhaustive and the other should be written for the public with sensitivity to the victims' privacy and a focus on who knew what and when.

I am bothered by the reporting of this. Of the articles I've read, even when the headline has to do with elements of who knew what and when, those elements of the story are usually buried at the end and in the 2nd-5th paragraphs where the important info is supposed to be, there are the details of what happened that the victims would rather bury. It's possible to report what happened in a way that explains how terrible this man was, without presenting details like a play-by-play in the front and center part of your story.
 
My hot take: there should be an independent investigation with two reports generated. One should stay out of the press and be exhaustive and the other should be written for the public with sensitivity to the victims' privacy and a focus on who knew what and when.

I am bothered by the reporting of this. Of the articles I've read, even when the headline has to do with elements of who knew what and when, those elements of the story are usually buried at the end and in the 2nd-5th paragraphs where the important info is supposed to be, there are the details of what happened that the victims would rather bury. It's possible to report what happened in a way that explains how terrible this man was, without presenting details like a play-by-play in the front and center part of your story.

whoa, that's a hot take!

sometimes I mentally invent a little black humor to deal with horrible stories. here I keep thinking of a comedy skit mocking MSU where Larry Nasser keeps showing up at official university functions - just quietly standing there looking like the creep he is - and no one cares until someone outside the Administration is like "Hey is that Larry Nasser? WTF is wrong with you people?"

And at first they're all like laughing "It's just Larry! Larry being Larry! Hey we all make some mistakes in life!"

finally they tell him to go back to jail. then next week at Spring Graduation, he's on stage handing out diplomas, until a reporter from the Free Press yells "Oh my god, you invited him to hand out diplomas??? How does this keep happening?" and Lou Anna Simon rolls her eyes, and says, "Sorry, Larry, I guess you gotta leave..."

on his way off the stage, Larry stops by the microphone, and mumbles "uh... I'm terribly sorry and all, for the pain I've caused. Fuck Michigan" and then they all start clapping and cheering
 
After the Indiana game, Izzo was asked about the situation & the board's decision. He didn't have a great response, which, okay he's a basketball coach, but he also added "I hope they've convicted the right guy."

Tom, I understand not wanting to "rush to judgment" but the judicial system has largely finished here, and it's unlikely the 170+ victims all got this wrong. But I suppose it's possible.

of course the civil suits are just getting going.
 
I didn't notice that before, the "I hope they convicted the right guy" quote. Uhh, what?
 
Maybe that's Izzo hinting at others being involved ....that he hopes they convict the "right guy" ....


I know, it's a huge stretch. More likely a regrettable choice of words.
 
After the Indiana game, Izzo was asked about the situation & the board's decision. He didn't have a great response, which, okay he's a basketball coach, but he also added "I hope they've convicted the right guy."

Tom, I understand not wanting to "rush to judgment" but the judicial system has largely finished here, and it's unlikely the 170+ victims all got this wrong. But I suppose it's possible.

of course the civil suits are just getting going.

Of course you take one line out of context, not sure what he meant by that but if you take the time to read his entire statement, I think it's clear that there's no doubt who was responsible and how he feels about it.

On Simon: "It?s been a very difficult week for me. As a father, it?s been a difficult week. I listened to the stories of courageous women. I look at the survivors who spoke and, in all honesty, Nassar permanently damaged and changed the lives of so many of those people. I feel like it?s changed the life of all of us at Michigan State in some way, shape or form. As a father, that?s difficult to even fathom. I hope the right person was convicted.

"I have to say, though, that I have the utmost ? the utmost ? faith and respect for the leadership of our president, too, at Michigan State. That?s a woman who has dedicated over 40 years ? and I?ve been here 33 with her, and I think I know what she stands for. So I hope and pray that those survivors continue to grow in their life. I hope we do everything we can to make sure that this will never happen ever again ? not only at this institution, but any institution to be honest with you.

"But there has been a lot of sad days for me in a lot of ways. I?m gonna to try do to everything I can to help the survivors and to help us grow from this and learn from it and move forward. That?s all I have to say."

For those who have criticized the university and want a change in leadership, what do you have to say as one of the faces of the school? "You know, when I talk to you guys about basketball, it?s really easy. I really don?t give a damn if you agree with me or not. But I mean, you have to understand there is nothing I can say that is gonna be right right now, and there is nothing that?s gonna make anybody right. I?ll just stick by what I said. The survivors are the most courageous people ? I can?t even imagine. I hate when I?m put in a position when I can almost start saying, ?I know what you?re going through,? because I have no clue what they?re going through and never will, and I hope I never find out. But I also, I just gotta say that that is a situation that I think is being dealt with and has been dealt with. And there is no way I could waver on the support for my administration or my president knowing the 35 years I have spent here on what she has done for this university, what she has stood for ? not only athletics, that?s a small part. For women?s groups, for different groups, I think she?s been a champion. I hope and pray that the survivors get through this. But I also hope that we take a serious look at what we?re doing."
 
Lou Anna Simon and Mark Hollis both need to be fired.

They should be tarred and feathered when they leave campus after being fired. They deserve much worse than that.

What's the reasoning for this? I know it's the knee jerk reaction but if you pay attention to the story you see that Simon was notified in 2014 of a Title IX investigation of a team doctor that actually found no violation against Nassar. The people who were told about this were all lower level employees who failed to report things to their superiors as they were supposed to.

MSU has welcomed the AG's investigation and if it is recommended that Simon be released, they will abide. I think it's a good way to handle this matter objectively. Public opinion may be different, but that's not based on the facts of the case, just vague arguments.

Your comments are appropriate about the Gymnastics coach, she was fired last year but she deserves more punishment than she's gotten. She was the definition of an enabler.
 
Of course you take one line out of context, not sure what he meant by that but if you take the time to read his entire statement, I think it's clear that there's no doubt who was responsible and how he feels about it.

On Simon: "It?s been a very difficult week for me. As a father, it?s been a difficult week. I listened to the stories of courageous women. I look at the survivors who spoke and, in all honesty, Nassar permanently damaged and changed the lives of so many of those people. I feel like it?s changed the life of all of us at Michigan State in some way, shape or form. As a father, that?s difficult to even fathom. I hope the right person was convicted.

"I have to say, though, that I have the utmost ? the utmost ? faith and respect for the leadership of our president, too, at Michigan State. That?s a woman who has dedicated over 40 years ? and I?ve been here 33 with her, and I think I know what she stands for. So I hope and pray that those survivors continue to grow in their life. I hope we do everything we can to make sure that this will never happen ever again ? not only at this institution, but any institution to be honest with you.

"But there has been a lot of sad days for me in a lot of ways. I?m gonna to try do to everything I can to help the survivors and to help us grow from this and learn from it and move forward. That?s all I have to say."

For those who have criticized the university and want a change in leadership, what do you have to say as one of the faces of the school? "You know, when I talk to you guys about basketball, it?s really easy. I really don?t give a damn if you agree with me or not. But I mean, you have to understand there is nothing I can say that is gonna be right right now, and there is nothing that?s gonna make anybody right. I?ll just stick by what I said. The survivors are the most courageous people ? I can?t even imagine. I hate when I?m put in a position when I can almost start saying, ?I know what you?re going through,? because I have no clue what they?re going through and never will, and I hope I never find out. But I also, I just gotta say that that is a situation that I think is being dealt with and has been dealt with. And there is no way I could waver on the support for my administration or my president knowing the 35 years I have spent here on what she has done for this university, what she has stood for ? not only athletics, that?s a small part. For women?s groups, for different groups, I think she?s been a champion. I hope and pray that the survivors get through this. But I also hope that we take a serious look at what we?re doing."

context? how was this a difficult week for Izzo, in this context? he's a multi-millionaire, with a private beach house that can comfortably sleep half the state of Michigan, who makes a living coaching basketball, and has for decades. his family is healthy, his daughter was not molested or assaulted, his job is safe and this has nothing to do with him.

it's pretty obvious MSU has done a lackluster job managing this one.

Simon has also fumbled the ball. If you think otherwise, you have low standards.

did you read her statement to the MSU community?

the media is criticising her and the MSU board for being tone deaf, and rightfully so. I'd even consider them dismissive, cold, calculating (but bad at math) and at worst, enabing.
 
context? how was this a difficult week for Izzo, in this context? he's a multi-millionaire, with a private beach house that can comfortably sleep half the state of Michigan, who makes a living coaching basketball, and has for decades. his family is healthy, his daughter was not molested or assaulted, his job is safe and this has nothing to do with him.

it's pretty obvious MSU has done a lackluster job managing this one.

Simon has also fumbled the ball. If you think otherwise, you have low standards.

did you read her statement to the MSU community?

the media is criticising her and the MSU board for being tone deaf, and rightfully so. I'd even consider them dismissive, cold, calculating (but bad at math) and at worst, enabing.

On Izzo, of course it was a difficult week, listening to the survivors tell their stories. He has a daughter at MSU right now, of course he thinks of what it would be like if it was his child. His statement was all about showing empathy for the survivors and supporting them, but also supporting the administration.

As for Simon, I'd like to hear how she fumbled the ball? It's a difficult situation when the University employs a monster who molests girls under the guise of legitimate medical practices. There's no way to spin this in a positive way and come out looking good. The people calling for Simon to resign just want heads to roll, regardless of the facts. If there are specifics, I'd like to hear them.

I'm all for the AG investigation, get to the bottom of how everything was handled. If they call for Simon to be fired, so be it. No need to fire first and investigate later.
 
that is far too much effort. it's a rotten situation all around and on so many sides.

it means there was a culture of silence regarding rape and assault within the msu athletic department. it doesn't mean you aren't beating Michigan in football regularly, so you still have that
 
that is far too much effort. it's a rotten situation all around and on so many sides.

it means there was a culture of silence regarding rape and assault within the msu athletic department. it doesn't mean you aren't beating Michigan in football regularly, so you still have that

Seriously? is that the best you can do? With the Corley/King/Vance incident, Blackwell didn't immediately report it and he was placed on leave pending investigation and later fired. The Jones Day report said that MD acted 100% appropriately in the situation. A small group of low level employees were told about Nassar and didn't report it up, taking his word that it was a legitimate medical procedure. That's hardly a culture of silence, but draw your false equivalence since it makes you feel good.

We'll see what the AG report has to say.
 
Seriously? is that the best you can do? With the Corley/King/Vance incident, Blackwell didn't immediately report it and he was placed on leave pending investigation and later fired. The Jones Day report said that MD acted 100% appropriately in the situation. A small group of low level employees were told about Nassar and didn't report it up, taking his word that it was a legitimate medical procedure. That's hardly a culture of silence, but draw your false equivalence since it makes you feel good.

We'll see what the AG report has to say.

Yes, we'll see.

But I wouldn't put much stock in the Jones Day report. MSU's administration paid Jones Day to exonerate them, and Jones Day did as they were paid. It's what Jones Day does.
 
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